


The Queen and Her Swan

by Morganza



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Smut, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Light BDSM, Light Dom/sub, Past Rape/Non-con
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-29
Updated: 2016-11-18
Packaged: 2018-04-24 00:35:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 32
Words: 149,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4898737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Morganza/pseuds/Morganza
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU Enchanted Forest</p>
<p>Regina never casts the curse, but destiny always has it's way.<br/>Enter Princess Emma, just before her 18th birthday, she decides she has had enough of a life filled with fear of the Evil Queen and decides to take matters into her own hands.<br/>Slowish burn Swan Queen</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first go at writing Fan Fic, I do hope you enjoy. Please let me know your thoughts! Not sure how many chapters this will be, but I promise to finish it even if it takes me forever! Also, I don't own these characters, obviously.

Part 1

 

The queen stared down at the mess of tangled blonde hair kneeling before her. Knees tucked beneath her slim body. A guard stood on either side of the girl, hands clamped down on her shoulders forcing her into the submissive posture. Her delicate hands held together in front of her, encased by heavy shackles. Her once beautiful blue dress torn and caked with mud, twigs and thorns adorned the hem and front of the destroyed garment. Her golden locks ran free in utter disarray, most likely knotted by now. Despite all of this, the girl held her head high, daring to meet the queen's eyes.

"What is this creature you have displayed before me?" The queen asked her guards, although she knew exactly who this wretched girl was. Knew the girl was eventually to cross her path. She had been waiting for this day, but the timing seemed off, something was askew. She never took her eyes off the girl as she stalked closer. 

"Your Majesty, we found her in the woods, just outside the castle walls. We believe she is the daughter of Snow White..." The gaurd finished conspiratorially, glancing up at the evil queen, waiting for her reaction. Waiting for bloodshed to ensue.

"Yes, I suppose she is.." Regina reached out her hand grabbing the girl's chin roughly. "Do you have a name, my dear?" Her eyebrow arched. The Queen's voice was low and velvet, but the girl picked up the growl, an underlying threat within the smooth tone. 

"My name is Emma," The princess growled back with less finesse, anger flashing through her green eyes as she pulled her chin free from the evil woman, she began to continue, "and I..."

"And you need to learn how to behave.. " the queen growled, as her open palm struck the girl across the face. The stinging smack echoing against stone walls.

The hard sting of the queen's hand shocked the princess, and before the action even had time to register she felt the woman's hand in her hair, forcing her head back, almost painfully. Despite herself she let out a small whimper.

The queen, almost nose to nose with the girl curled her lips in a cruel smile and was pleased to see a flash of fear play upon the princesses' pretty features.  
"Your Majesty, is the correct way to address a queen, as you should well know, princess!"  
She ran her index finger up and down the girl's outstretched throat, holding her tightly by her blonde hair, forcing the girl's head back. She could feel the rapid heartbeat hammering beneath the thin skin of the girl's throat, taking great relish on the effect she was causing. 

The evil queen was surprised to see the girl's eyelashes flutter as she lowered her eyes as best she could with her head pulled back at such an uncomfortable angle. Did she really have such little fight in her?

The girl licked her lips nervously, her pink tongue gliding against soft, sweet lips as she mustered the courage to speak.  
" I- I'm sorry... Your Majesty." She finally choked out, trying to keep her gaze lowered. Hoping this would appease the evil woman.

The queen, the evil queen felt something strange run through her as she looked down at the young girl. Child, really was more appropriate to describe the girl. The feeling was something warm, something unfamiliar, yet familiar, something that reminded her of many moons passed. A young girl on horseback flashed through her mind, a girl full of fear and yearning and the smallest flicker of hope. It was something she didn't think she could bare feeling. Shaking her head, trying to rid the unexpected feeling from her mind, she tried to grasp for words.

"Do you want her locked up, Your Majesty?" The guard on the left spoke up before the queen could speak.

The queen, whom had never removed her eyes from the girl, released her grasp on the child's hair. Emma let her head fall against her chest, forcing herself not to look up, forcing herself to accept her fate and rember why she was here to begin with.

The queen cleared her throat, "No, " she finally answered as she lowered a hand down upon the girl's golden hair, petting her ever so gently. " No, leave us for now.."

"But your majesty..." The guard began to interject, and was quickly cut off by his queen.

" Do not question me. I believe I am capable of handling one insolent little brat! Now leave us!" The queen raised her brow, waiting for any sign of an argument. Of course there was none.

Emma, the princess, the girl that was supposed to be the key, the catalyst to the Queen's revenge the child that knelt before her remained on her knees, head submissively cast down. The evil queen continued her downward gaze, almost burning into the child. Neither moved, nor spoke for a minute or two, but it felt like eternity. 

Emma tried to remind herself why she was here, her mission, and to get it over with as painlessly as possible. The queen tried to shake that lingering feeling and get her thoughts together. It wasn't time, at least she didn't think it was time for her heavily sought out revenge. It didn't feel right, nor was it prophesized this way. Yes, the girl was to come to her eventually, but as a grown woman, not a child. What was she doing here now? What was she doing here?

"Why are you here?" The queen demanded, arching her brow and cupping the girl's chin as she raised the child's gaze closer to her own. She was forceful, but there was a gentle nature to her touch this time. Perhaps because of this, or because of the previous repercussions, the princess didn't rebuff the touch. Nor did she quite meet the Queen's eyes, but kept them respectfully downcast, just the slightest bit, which was did not go unnoticed by the Queen.

It was so unlike Snow, so unlike the defiant action the princess had shown earlier. She tried to wrap her mind around just who this girl was. Who she really was despite her lineage.

"I.. I.., You-your Majesty.." The girl stuttered nervously, almost causing the queen to feel a bit of mercy for the child. Almost. "I can't go on in the manner that .... I.. I need... Your majesty, I need your...your help..."

The princess bit her lip shyly as she finished the last part. The queen released her hold on the girl's chin, stepping back in disbelief. Emma looked up in time to see her throw her head back and let out a guttural roar of laughter.  
The princess wrinkled her brow, studying the older woman. She had seen portraits of her before, but it was far different to actually be in the same space as such a divine creature. To see her in the flesh. The evil queen was the most beautiful human she had ever laid eyes on. Also terrifying, but that even added to her allure. The girl felt an odd, unknown fluttering in her stomach. She felt ill and wonderful simultaneously. To be knelt down and shackled before her. It was the most frightening and electrifying moment of her life. 

The queen finally gained her composure back, hands on her hips she looked down at the girl and wondered what on earth was going on.  
"Oh, my dear girl there is little that shocks me, but you have defiantly succeeded in that." The evil queen breathed out, still trying to surpress the laughter bubbling up inside her. Was this girl mad? Stupid, well that was her birthright, just look at her parents. But this had to take the cake.  
"Things must be quite dire if you have come here asking for my help! It's rather presumptuous of you, dear, not to mention a whole list of other things. You have trespassed in my woods, on my land and already wasted a good bit of my time with your silliness. People have been executed for less, but I do suppose none were as amusing as yourself. So, my dear, do tell. What in this world can I possibly do to help you?" The queen laughed, arching her brow and folding her arms below her bosom as she waited.

Emma tried to muster the courage to ask the queen to put an end to her, she was so tired of living in fear of the Evil Queen. Well, to be fair, despite everything she wasn't afraid of the woman, not in the same way her parents were. But she was dreadfully tired of what their fear had done to her.

She had planned everything out in her mind, but now in the reality of it, kneeling before this woman, she was having trouble finding her words.  
"Your Majesty," the girl started after clearing her throat.  
"I-I have come to ask...to beg you to end everything... I beg you to.. To go on with y-your plan. I- I am offering myself to you. Please... Please just make it fast, if I may ask for that..." Emma cupped her face in her still shackled hands to hide the tears that began to fall. She knew she was trembling and her heart beat so quickly she thought it might explode. She dared not look up.

This was the last thing the queen had expected. She was no stranger to both peasants and royalty groveling at her feet, but begging for death? That was new. Oh sure, maybe after being tortured to the point of no return. But this little lamb was so eager to meet her fate.

Studying the young girl, her mind raced. What sort of game was the little brat playing? Surely this was some sort of trick her idiot parents had hatched up. A million thoughts ran through her mind. She thought of grabbing Snow's spawn by the hair again, pulling her head back and slicing her throat. Maybe she would keep her head as a trophy, mount it on her wall. Or she could send it back to Snow. The queen smiled at the thought of Snow White holding her daughter's decapitated head. 

What was Snow thinking, sending her only child into the clutches of her most sworn enemy? She tsked to herself. So irresponsible, but again, it was Snow. 

"I don't know what type of idiotic scheme your parents have come up with, but.." The queen reached down and grabbed the girl by her shackles. Pulling her hands away from her face and forcing her onto her unsteady legs.  
"I do not appreciate liars, nor do I care for these sort of games, Princess" The older woman hissed into the girl's face. 

Noticing, for the fist time, the tear stains running down her face, as well as an odd glint in the girl's eyes. Fear. Fear and resignation. Fear was something the queen was used to seeing, but this was different. Yes, the girl was intimidated by her, as she should be, but it wasn't just her, or the fear of losing her life. There was something else that troubled the princess, something that had taken all the fight out of her. Something that reminded her of a young, sweet girl, mothered by a woman that would stop at nothing to get what she wanted. 

The queen shook her head, once again trying to relieve herself of these feelings. She had to focus on what was at hand and not fall prey to whatever tricks Snow had up her sleeve.

"You say you are offering yourself to me? Hmm? You mean to tell me your parent's just let you come to me, their only child and offer herself as if she was some olive branch? Your parents are so concerned with peace they would forsake you in order to get that? Do you take me for a fool?" The Queen shook the young girl by the shoulders, demanding a response.

"Y-yes... I mean no, Your Majesty.. I- my parents, they...they don't know I'm here... I.. I ran away..." Emma began to sob, uncontrollably sob. It was actually quite a heartbreaking sight, even to an evil queen. The girl emitted no sound, but began to shake and heave as tears rolled down her cheeks.  
"Please, Your Majesty, just get on with it. I'm tired. I'm so tired of ..." Another silent sob broke out, at the same time the stained glass of a window near the girl shattered into pieces with a hazy white light emitting from the princess. Emma gasped in horror raising her hands to her face, shaking her head.

"No. No no no. I'm sorry your majesty! I didn't mean it... I..."

'Oh my, aren't we full of surprises,' the older woman thought to herself.  
Looking at this strange waif in front of her, the queen was surprised at how uncomfortable she was with the girl's tears. It was Snow she wanted, not this child. Yes, she was planning to kill the princess for years, but it wasn't personal. Not really. Just a means to an end. Collateral damage.  
She found herself in unfamiliar territory, not sure what to do with the girl, not sure if she believed the story or not, but the child did have magic, of that she was positive. 

"Come now, Princess. Enough. Stop that crying." The queen rested her hand on her shoulder, trying to decide what to do, then taking the girl's trembling hands in her own.  
"Let's get these off, I don't imagine it can be all that comfortable." Using magic the queen removed the shackles, rubbing gentle circles around her wrists.

Emma looked up at the queen, confusion on her face. Before she could ask what was going on the queen spoke.

" You're a frightful mess, it wouldn't do for a princess to arrive at the guillotine in this state." The Queen smirked to herself as she led the girl to her private chambers.


	2. The Queen and Her Swan Part 2

Emma stepped into the tub of warm water. The evil queen had a bath drawn for her, as well as produced a white night gown to change into. She wondered about this mysterious woman. She had expected her to kill her on the spot. But she didn't. It was odd, even when she had used magic, albeit accidentally, the queen hadn't been angry. Surprised, maybe even intrigued, but not angry. The evil queen had been almost comforting. Emma hadn't expected that. Even her own parents had been angry with her when they discovered she had magic. Not just angry, but afraid and horrified. And that was the worst of all.  
Emma laid back in the large tub , trying her hardest not to think about what was to come. She was so very confused with everything, and terrified, rightly so, but relieved as well.  
Soon all her pain would be over. Soon no one would be able to hurt her. No evil queens, no more running from place to place in order to stay alive, no more pressure to become the Savior, and no more...well, no more pain. 

*************************************

The queen paced back and forth, heels clicking on the stone floor of her bedroom. What was going on? She felt an odd pull towards the girl, and she did believe she had come seeking her fate of her own accord. But why? And why now? The queen did believe the princess, but she needed evidence, she had after all believed Snow would keep a secret, and look what that got her.  
'No, I need to make certain this isn't a trick' she thought to herself.

"Mirror, I must see Snow. Now!" She commanded of the genie.

"Of course your Majesty, as you wish." The mirror rippled as the image of Snow and David came into focus. They were clearly distraught. David was trying to console his idiot wife. 

"Don't worry. We will find her, I'm sure she will be back in her own bed tonight." David tried to sound reassuring, but didn't quite sound convinced himself.

"We shouldn't have done that, David. I just wanted what was best for her. I didn't know it was going to hurt her, I didn't know.." Snow began sobbing in her husband's arms.

The queen wrinkled her brow, what had the idiots done? She waved the image away. Well, the girl had been telling the truth, but now the queen had even more questions. The princess was an odd little duck, firery, yet timid. She came asking for the queen to kill her, that took courage in an idiotic sort of way. And she has magic, magic that she seems untrained with and terrified of. 

"Your Majesty," came a small voice, pulling the queen out of her thoughts. The older woman spun on her heel, brown eyes meeting green.  
The princess didn't look away, just held her gaze. It had been many years since someone dared to stare into her eyes, and an equal amount of time since the queen had allowed it. She didn't feel there was a challenge or defiance coming from the girl, it felt like something soft and warm and entirely innocent.

The queen softened and offered a small smile to the Princess.  
"Well, dear I'm pleased to say there really was a princess hiding beneath all the dirt after all. You look much better, and I have to admit you smell better as well. Vast improvement overall." The Queen smiled, genuinely, which surprised herself. It wasn't intentional, but it sprung up naturally. She couldn't remember the last time that happened. 

"Thank you... Your Majesty." The blonde quickly added the last part, not wanting to upset the older woman, although she wasn't sure why. She was, after all, going to be ending her life soon. The princess didn't understand why she felt so drawn to the woman. Maybe it was just fate playing it's self out.

"I am terribly sorry about the window.." The girl shifted nervously, biting her lower lip.

"Yes, well that was a surprise dear." The queen cleared her throat, studying the girl. Wondering what she was to do with the girl. Kill her, that was the plan, but something was holding her back. She needed to uncover the mystery that was this princess.  
"So, it seems you have magic. You don't seem to know how to control it, but you certainly do posses it.". The woman noticed the uneasy glint in the girl's eyes.  
"Do your parents know?" She arched her brow.

At the mention of her parents the girl's eyes pooled with unshed tears, as the princess simply nodded her head. Crossing her arms around herself protectively, the princess looked away. She seemed almost ashamed, definitely afraid and more than anything, utterly devastated. 

The queen closed the space between them, putting one arm around the girl's shoulders, and using her other hand to gently pull her chin, until they were eye to eye. Emma's eyes couldn't quite hold the gaze, as they danced from place to place. 

What had this girl so distraught, the dark haired woman wondered. 

"Emma," The queen started softly, surprised she used the Princess's first name and at how easily the girl's name fell from her lips. Likewise the princess was surprised at how the sound of her name coming from the evil queen warmed her and caused that fluttering feeling in her stomach.  
"Magic is a wonderful gift, not something to be afraid of, respected, but not feared. Least of all, it's not something to be ashamed of!". The queen stared at the girl, unable to read her thoughts, but wishing desperately that she could. 

"Please, Your Majesty..." Emma turned her face away, as another broken silent sob escaped her lips. 

"Please, will you just... kill me?" The words came out in a whisper, as the princess doubled over, shoulders shaking and her whole body heaving as she broke out in tears.

The queen felt an angry heat consume her body, traveling from her head to her toes. What had those fools done to this innocent girl to make her come begging for death? For the first time, in a long time, the queen felt something other than hate or disdain for someone other than herself. She wasn't quite sure what she was going to do, she wasn't sure of anything except that she wasn't capable of killing this girl.

"Regina." The older woman finally uttered, her own voice sounding utterly foreign to her. 

"Wha-what?" The princess looked at the queen so confused it stopped her tears from flowing.

"My name's Regina, I'm sure you know that." The queen guided the girl over to her chaise lounge and sat the girl down. Sitting beside her playing with her golden hair, the dark haired woman continued.

"I would prefer it if you called me by my name, not some title. Not when we are in such an informal setting, it's just much too pretentious." The queen tried to smile, but Emma was looking at the floor.

"I'm not going to kill you, Emma." Regina said softly, almost resigned, surprising herself. But it was true, she could kill the girl, but she wouldn't. She wouldn't't hurt someone that reminded her so much of herself. 

Emma jerked her head, looking at the queen, at Regina as if she had been smacked across the face. 

"But..." Emma stopped, realizing she didn't know what to say. She hadn't planned on this. Staring at the queen, green eyes swimming with tears, she shook her head in disbelief.  
"But, you have to..." Emma whispered, keeping her eyes locked with the older woman's.

"My dear girl, nobody tells me what I have to do." Regina tucked a stray hair behind the girl's ear.  
"Haven't you heard, I'm the evil queen and I do as I please." Emma thought she heard a trace of sadness when the dark haired woman referred to herself. 

"Your Maj- Regina.." The princess quickly corrected herself. It felt strange saying the Queen's name, strange and familiar all at the same time. Regina noticed the way the girl had corrected herself.

So eager to please, the queen noticed. A small smile tugging at her lips, she couldn't deny the effect hearing her name spoken from the girl's mouth had on her. It had been a lifetime since the queen had heard her name uttered with such innocent reverence. 

Regina arched her brow, encouraging Emma to continue, still playing with her soft golden curls.

"What are you going to do with me, if your not going to kill me?" Emma stared at the queen, Regina felt like the girl's green eye's could see right into her, but that was ridiculous. 

Wasn't it? The queen felt a lump in her throat.

" What did they do to you?" It came out more as a demand than a question. The girl physically flinched at the question. What had those idiots done?

"They... They tried to help me with.." Emma started, almost whispering.  
"With my problem... er.. With the magic." Emma looked down at the floor, shame written all over her face.

Good god, Regina thought, what in the world did they do. It was obvious Emma hadn't had any training, what did the girl mean?

The queen gathered up the girl's hair and began to absently braid her unruly mane.

"Go on, dear. How did they..help?" Regina sneered as she uttered the last word.

Emma sighed and took a minute before continuing.

"We.... They, thought it would be best if I was... Well, normal. They just wanted me to be good...but.. I couldn't control it, and they got Blue. Blue, the fairy..."

"Yes, I know who Blue is dear." Regina's heart was thumping, she had a pretty good idea of what the girl was going to say, but she had to hear it for herself.

"Well, they thought... They thought maybe we could get rid of.."

" They tried to take away your magic." Regina finished, in disbelief. Her voice was flat, and she had to force herself to keep her temper down. She didn't want to scare the girl. Why was that?

Emma simply nodded. Then she did something that shocked both of them. It wasn't planned and if she would have thought about it, she probably wouldn't have dared. Her body just took over.

The princess pushed herself against the evil queen, burying her head against the crook between Regina's shoulder and her neck, wrapping her arms around the older woman's waist. 

"Please don't send me back. Please Regina, I don't care what you do, just don't make me go back. I can't, it hurt so bad, and it didn't even work, and I'll never be who they want me to be. Please, kill me, torture me, I don't care but don't send me back." The girl broke into sobs, her hot tears falling against the Queen's skin.

Regina leaned back from the force of the girl's embrace. Utterly shocked. It took her mind a moment to register the current events, this had been a most surprising day to say the least. It occurred to her that the last person to seek comfort from her in any manner, was in fact the girl's mother.

Snow. Snow who had ruined her life, taken everything from her because she wanted Regina for herself. That selfish awful brat, who had grown into a woman so awful she would demoralize her own daughter. Break her to almost nothing.

Suddenly, Regina had a wonderful thought. Wrapping her arms around Emma protectively and placing her hand against the girl's head, gently petting her. She would indeed take Snow's happiness. Where Snow had broken the girl almost completely, Regina would put her back together. She would keep Emma for herself, and furthermore she would make Emma want to be hers. The Queen's loyal pet, and this would destroy those idiots, she would take their happy ending.

"Shhh. Shhh. It's going to be alright Princess." Regina cooed into soft blonde hair, feeling the girl wrap tighter around her waist. She gently rubbed the small of the girl's back whispering reassurances that all would be right with the world.

"As long as your with me nobody's ever going to hurt you again. I won't let them." Regina continued to console the girl until she felt her breathing slow and steady. She held onto her a few moments longer, rubbing her back and hair, she felt the girl nuzzle into her, obviously enjoying the affection. 

Emma didn't know what the Queen meant by her words, but she liked having the older woman hold her and comfort her, she liked being close to the queen. Her affection was filling a deep craving in the girl, the one that longs to be loved and accepted. Suddenly, she was utterly exhausted.

Regina must have sensed this, she gently pushed the girl away, holding her in front of her.

"Are you tired, dear?" The queen gently wiped away the tears from the girl's face. "You have had quite a day." 

Emma, feeling totally spent, simply nodded her head. She could barely keep her eyes open as she felt Regina pull her up from the chaise and guide her out of the Queen's chambers and into another room down the long corridor.


	3. The Queen and Her Swan Part 3

Emma slept soundly in the room adjacent from the Queen's bed chambers. Regina had tucked her into the canopy bed, the princess was almost asleep before she even pulled the covers up. Regina gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek and was rewarded with the slight tug of a smile across the girl's lips. 

Regina had to admit, she felt especially proud of herself at the moment. This was going to be so much more satisfying than killing the girl. That sort of rash action would have sated her revenge for a few weeks, maybe a month, but this new plan could go on for years and years. Finally Snow would know what true heart break was. She would know the horror of being utterly dead inside, but to keep on living just the same.

The Queen just wasn't sure how to go about everything yet. What would have the greatest impact? Should she let the Charmings go on searching for their daughter? Tell them she killed her? Tell them their princess was alive and well, under lock and key of the evil queen? There were just so many tasty options she couldn't decide on one.

They would have to wait awhile longer for her to decide. It had been an exhausting day, but well worth it. Regina sighed, laying her head against her dining chair, and sipping from the goblet. Things were finally looking up for her. She wondered if she should wake the girl up and bring her down to the dining hall. It had been an exhausting day and the princess needed her rest, but the queen found herself already missing the girl's company. 

'No. Not missing her company, I just want to see my prize, my revenge in the flesh.' Regina thought to herself, she wouldn't let herself become weak when she was so close now. 

The Queen felt Emma stirring upstairs. She had tied the girl's magic to her own in order to keep tabs on her, but she wondered if her thoughts had some how awakened the girl. Magic could be unpredictable.

Regina waved her hands, purple smoke engulfing her, seamlessly transporting into the room she had made for the girl. 

***********************************

Emma was looking out the window, blonde hair still braided down her back, when Regina appeared, startling the girl. Emma spun around green eyes wide with surprise. 

"Oh!" Came the only response the princess could muster, her face relaxing as she realized who it was. She studied the queen curiously with her eyes.

"I didn't mean to scare you, dear.." 

"You didn't scare me." There was a bit of defiance in the girl's words.

"Oh, I didn't?" Regina smirked, crossing her arms over her chest and raising her brow.

"I was just surprised." Emma smiled sheepishly, then bit her bottom lip. "How...how did you do that?" She asked raising her brows.

"Magic, dear. Maybe I'll teach you some day." Regina studied the girl, as a myriad of emotions crossed her face. She wished, not for the first time, that she could read those thoughts.   
Clearing her throat, and her own thought, Regina stepped closer, "Feeling better after your nap, Princess?"

The girl gave her an odd look before flashing her eyes down.  
"Yes, a bit, thank you.." Emma looked back up at her, head cocked, there was uncertainty in her eyes as if she wanted to ask something but dared not. 

"Are you hungry?" Regina asked, if the girl had something to say she needed to do it on her own. "My cooks have a wonderful feast prepared in the dining hall if you would like to join me." The older woman hesitated for a moment debating. "Of course, if you would rather be alone I could send something up for you.."

"No, I don't want to be alone." Emma interjected, almost frantically. And while she would have never said it, the queen was relieved. She had thought about only giving Emma the option of eating with her, or not eating at all, but she wanted the girl to feel like she had a choice. She wanted Emma to like her.

"Lovely," Regina smiled, almost predatory. Stretching out her hand to the girl, it only took a moment for Emma to grab hold, giving her that odd look again.

"Emma, what is it? If you want to ask me something do so, don't look at me as if I have three heads, dear." The queen chastised.

"Well... I was just wondering... Can you do that...that thing with someone else." Emma waved her free hand in a circular motion, smiling shyly.

"You want me to transport us with my magic?" Regina asked, amused.

"No, no, you don't have to.. I was just wondering.."

" Come here," The brunette said as she pulled the girl into her arms, until the blonde's back was resting against her. She was surprised at the way Emma leaned into her so willingly, so comfortably. And Regina couldn't deny the feelings it brought about in her, even if she wouldn't consciously admit them.

'Oh this is going to be easier than I expected' she thought to herself, as she waved her hands and purple smoke consumed them. 

When the queen and princess emerged from the magic cloud they were standing in the middle of the dining hall.

Emma stood, speachless, eyes wide.

"Just one more thing dear." The queen let go of the girl's hand as she circled her, then waved her right hand. In mere seconds Emma was in a beautiful green gown, hair braided like a crown and the rest of the golden locks cascading down her back. This gown was different from the others, as it was much more form fitting. Nothing close to the corseted numbers Regina wore, but enough to make out the curve of hips, a tiny waist and ample bossom. While Emma may have some child like qualities, she was clearly on her way to becoming a woman.

The girl let out a gasp, looking at Regina with nothing short of absolute admiration.

"How... That was...Regina, that was amazing!" Emma practically shrieked. 

Regina felt an unfamiliar humming in her abdomen. No one had looked at her in that way for a very long time. She felt herself smiling at the girl.

"Oh, that's all very basic dear. But I'm glad you enjoyed it. See magic can be quite useful, once you learn to control it." She tried to reassure the girl, whose eyes shifted nervously at the unspoken mention of Emma embracing her magic. 

Guiding the girl to the table, Regina took her seat at the head, naturally, and motioned towards the seat closest to herself. 

"Sit by me." She smiled, baring her teeth. It was an order, a demand even and while Emma caught the authority in the Queen's tone, there was no where else the princess wanted to sit.

"Is it just us?" Emma looked over at the Queen, her black hair pulled high on her head and falling down her right shoulder. She was the most beautiful woman the princess had ever seen, she felt like an awkward ugly duckling in the woman's presence.

"Yes. Just us. Why, were you hoping for guests? Perhaps the birds your mother loves so much?" The Queen hissed, mistaking the girl's question as an unwillingness to be around her. Regina was accustomed to people not wanting to be in her company, and when she was hurt, she lashed out.

"N-no..." Emma blinked, wide eyed in surprise at the sudden change in mood. "No, your ma- Regina. I'm glad it's just us..."

"You are?" Regina couldn't hide the confusion on her face. Her eyes narrowed , wondering if the girl was lying.   
"Why?" She blurted, her disbelief getting the better of her.

Emma shrugged, smiling sheepishly as she bit her bottom lip, a trait Regina was beginning to find very endearing, as improper as it may be.

The queen felt that smile again, the one that belonged to Regina, not the Evil Queen. 

"You shouldn't shrug dear, it's not ladylike." Regina ridiculed, but her tone was light. As plates were presented and served she wondered about the girl. Blood may have made her a princess, but she surely didn't act like one. 

Cora would have never allowed any of that behavior. Regina frowned at the sudden thought of her mother.

Emma felt the unhappiness coming from the older woman before she even noticed the frown. She wondered what she had done to upset her, and desperately wanted to fix it.

"I'm sorry Regina! Did I do something wrong?" Emma clasped her hand over Regina's, worried eyes searching her face.  
"Is it because of the shrugging? I know my posture is atrocious.." The girl began to ramble nervously.

"You're fine dear," Regina gave a soft smile.   
'How intuitive the girl is, and so desperate for approval.' The queen thought as she hesitated for just a moment before leaning over and brushing her lips against the girl's pale cheek. 

Emma let out just the slightest gasp, placing her hand over the area Regina's lips had grazed. She could feel her body flush red.  
'It was only a peck on the cheek, why am I being so silly?' The blonde tried to reason with herself. She couldn't understand these new and until now uncharted feelings the brunette was bringing out in her.

For her part, Regina did not miss the blush on Emma's skin, and she reveled in it, but she had mercy on the girl and decided to pretend it was lost on her. 

"Are you enjoying the meal my cooks prepared?" The brunette changed the subject.

"Oh, yes very much, thank you!" The blonde smiled as she popped a slice of apple in her mouth.  
"I hardly ever get to eat food this delicious, the fairies have fruit sometimes. Mostly pomegranates." Emma scrunched her face in distaste. "And the dwarves, well they don't care for much other than gruel. It's better when we have it with milk. Don't ever eat it with water, it's awful that way." Emma looked at the older woman seriously. 

Regina couldn't help but laugh, the queen eating gruel. This girl was amusing.   
"I'll keep that in mind, thank you." She smiled, then furrowed her brow.   
'Why was the girl talking about the dwarves and fairies? In fact, she hadn't even mentioned her parents or the castle this evening.' 

Regina had assumed she would be convincing the girl to put off contacting her parents for at least another day, but the blonde hadn't even mentioned them. 

"Emma," she started slowly, not sure exactly how to phrase what she wanted to say.   
The blonde stared at her intently, as if everything that came out of her mouth was the most important thing in the world. Regina smiled to herself, she loved the undivided attention and clear admiration the girl was so willing to give her.

"What about your parents? Surely they have some of the best cooks at the palace?" Regina caught the slight flinch from the blonde at the mention of her parents.

"Yes, that's true " Emma started, looking down at her plate, pushing food around. "But I don't live there."

"Oh?" Regina was surprised by this, although it did explain why she was rarely able to find Emma using the mirror. She had been looking in the wrong places.   
"So, you live with...the dwarves?" The queen was trying to piece everything together. She took a sip from her goblet, eyeing Emma, who was still studying her plate.

"Mmhmm." The blonde nodded, "in the summer, in the winter I stay with the fairies...with Blue." The girl couldn't hide the distaste in her voice at this last part. Regina wondered if it was about the magic or if there was more to the story.

"I don't like Blue." Emma looked up sharply, green eyes meeting brown. It was as if she had heard the Queen's unspoken question.

"No? Well I would think not... She should have known better than trying to remove your magic." Regina said this last part softly. She wasn't used to consoling others, but it felt natural with the blonde.   
'I need her to trust me' she continued to tell herself.

"It's not just that," the girl sighed. "She's not nice, everyone thinks she is, but she's not. She's not half as nice as you, and you're the evil queen..."

Regina's brows raised in shocked amusement, but she stifled a laugh, she didn't want to interrupt the girl. 

"Plus, Snow..er my mother, does whatever she wants. She just follows her blindly. It was Blue's idea that I not live at the palace..". Emma trailed off as if there was more she wanted to say, but nothing came out.

Regina noticed two things, Emma referred to her mother by her first name, which was odd, but perhaps extended periods of time away from her parents had caused her not to bond with them the same way most children do. But more importantly, underneath it all Emma was angry. Maybe the girl pushed it down, but anger like that wouldn't stay at bay forever. Even now it seemed just below the surface. Regina knew darkness when she saw it. 

"I'm sorry Emma," Regina was surprised by her own words, even if she did believe they were the right thing to say in order to gain the girl's trust. The thing was, she hadn't planned them, and she thought maybe she was sorry for the girl. Not for Snow, never for Snow, but this girl didn't deserve the pain and loneliness she had been put through.

"It's not your fault." Emma dropped her fork, green eyes blazing.  
'Oh there is a lot of anger there.' Regina thought, almost shocked by the intense waves she was getting from the blonde. 

"Well dear, to be fair.." Regina started, but was quickly interrupted by the girl.

"No. If someone threatened the life of someone you loved, would you send them away? I don't think you would. I wouldn't. Never. And I wouldn't put it on them to be the saviour either.." Emma rolled her eyes before continuing.  
" Especially not a child, I would take care of it myself." The girl leaned in, almost snarling.  
'Ah, there is that fire' Regina thought to herself. ' The girl is right, who, other than that idiot Snow would disagree. No wonder the girl came to me begging to end her life.'

Emma looked down, almost embarrassed at her out burst.

"I.. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt you, or.. get so... So angry." Green eyes looked up to the Queen's, searching for forgiveness.

"Well I don't like being interrupted, dear, but you are forgiven. As for the other.... You need not apologize. Never to me. I understand what it's like to be... Well, upset or angry." Regina saw relief wash over the girl's face. Relief and something else, something so foreign to her she couldn't put a name on it, but it gave her that warm feeling just the same.

"Thank you." It was said almost in a whisper, but the reverance and gratitude in the two words spoke volumes.

************************************

When the blonde and the brunette had finished with the feast for two, Regina had suggested they retire to their bedchambers. It had been a very long day and it was getting well into the night. Emma's room, or rather the room Regina had made up for the girl was just across from The Queen's. As Emma reached for the door she hesitated, looking over at the dark haired woman, biting her lower lip.

Regina was becoming accustomed to this mannerism, and she guessed Emma had something on her mind. 

"What is it Emma?" The girl's name spilled out again so easily. 

"Are you tired?" The girl cocked her head to the side, studying the older woman. 

"Well, it has been quite a day. But I doubt I'll get much sleep regardless. I have a lot to think about, after all."

"Like what you're going to do to me?" It was a bold question, and it should have been full of fear, but Regina heard more of a curiosity. 

'This girl was an odd duckling. No. Not a duck. She was a swan. The Queen's swan.' Regina smiled to herself.

"Not to, with." The older woman sighed. "I told you I wouldn't kill you, and I meant it. Nor do I have any plans or the desire to torture you..."

'Oh, there is plenty I want to do to you and with you my swan.' Regina thought for a moment noticing the perplexed look on the girl's face. 

" If you promise not to ask any more questions on the matter, you may join me for a drink and less troubling talk, we can speak of more serious matters in the light of day." The brunette opened the door to her chambers, inviting the girl in. 

"I promise." The blonde beamed as she practically bounced into the room, taking a seat on the chaise.

"But, I don't really drink. Well, I've never really drank before. Once, on my 17th birthday the dwarves let me sip some ale, but I didn't really care for it." Emma scrunched her face at the memory of the bitter taste. 

'17th birthday, she's older than I had imagined.' Regina studied the girl, pouring just the one goblet of her favorite port.

"Try this, I would imagine it will taste better than what the dwarves have to offer." The queen took a seat next to the blonde and brought the goblet up to the girl, gently brushing her hands away. Emma blushed slightly as the rim of the glass touched her mouth. Their eyes locked together as she obediently followed the silent command and parted her pink lips slightly.   
The older woman was pleased and constantly surprised by the girls's eagerness to please her. Regina tipped the cup back gently allowing the red liquid to slide through accepting lips.   
She noticed the slight blush on pale skin. To her satisfaction, what was a slight pink, turned crimson as she ran her fingertips over the girl's lips, wiping any remains of the port off of Emma.

The blonde thought she could feel sparks flying through her body. She felt hot and clamy. It was like she was dying, and for the first time living all at once. Was this magic or something else?

"How was that?" Regina asked, still staring at the girl. 

"Really good." The response was horse, almost chocked. And Regina wasn't sure if the princess was talking about the wine or something else entirely. 

Emma felt her head spinning, and she knew it wasn't from the port. Her stomach was in knots, it felt terrible and wonderful at the same time. And she was beginning to have a craving for something. She didn't know what it was she was craving, but that hungry need was there just the same.

"You probably shouldn't have much more, you need to build up a tolerance. I don't want you to get sick." Regina smiled as she took a long sip.  
"When was your 17th birthday?" She vaguely remembered the day the girl was born, the day she would have enacted the curse, but she was trying to make small talk.

"Almost a year ago.." The girl replied breathlessly. 

"Almost 18 then." Regina said aloud, though it was only to herself. 

"Hmmm what shall I do with you, my swan?" The queen purred, tugging at one of Emma's stray hairs teasingly, noticing the way the girl blushed at her words. 

"I thought...we wouldn't talk about that tonight.." Emma trailed off, for the first time feeling more than just a bit terrified of Regina. Something about the way the queen looked at her sent a shiver down her spine. Exhilaratingly terrified. 

Regina took another sip of her port, never breaking eye contact with the girl. 

Finally, she spoke.  
"Yes, I suppose I did say that." The queen receded. A million different thoughts were swirling in Regina's mind. She didn't want to ruin things with the girl, she needed to have her completely. Mind, body, and soul. She needed to gain her trust, unwavering trust. She still needed to deal with the idiots. And that blonde sitting in her room, on her chaise, letting her feed her wine, and looking at her with that wide eyed admiration. It was very distracting.   
'Patience.' Regina kept telling herself.

"Why swan?" The girl broke her thoughts. 

"What dear?" Regina blinked

"You called me swan, why?"  
'Actually she called me her swan,' Emma gulped, blushing just the slightest at this thought. It gave her that warm fluttering feeling again. Emma never felt like she belonged, least of all to someone else. 

"Oh," Regina smiled, taking another sip of her port. "You have heard the story of the ugly duckling, yes?"

"You think I'm ugly?" Emma looked at the queen, true hurt and embarrassment in her eyes. 

Regina laughed, then softened her tone, stroking Emma's cheek, she noticed the way the girl leaned into her touch.

"No. Far from it my dear," She said with absolute seriousness. "No, the ugly duckling is really a swan, but somehow her egg was misplaced and she ended up in a duck's nest. Once she hatched the ducks didn't know what to do with this creature so unlike themselves. She didn't fit in, she wasn't like the rest of them. She felt out of place, misunderstood, and as much as they tried, she would never be an ordinary duck. She was something special, something beautiful." Regina held the girl's face in her hands, only inches apart from her own. Emma stared at her with something close to worship in her eyes. It was so endearing, and so sweet, and so unlike what the queen had become accustomed to, it almost hurt.

"That is you, my swan. Something special and beautiful and perfect." It was almost whispered as Regina finished she placed another light kiss on the girl's cheek. Once again she was rewarded with a small sigh and a light blush from the princess. 

"It's very late Emma, you should go to sleep. I need to rest as well." Regina didn't say it as a command, but Emma knew it was an order just the same. Although she wasn't sure she would be able to sleep at all with the fluttering in her stomach.

The blonde didn't think she could speak, but she managed to nod her head as she rose from the chaise. Regina followed her to the door, hand resting at the small of the girl's back. 

When Emma reached the door, she turned towards the queen.

" Regina," it came out breathless, and needier than Emma would have liked. 

The older woman stared at her, patiently, intently, their eyes locked.

"Thank you." The blonde finally blurted, wrapping her arms around the queen as she pulled up all of her courage, turning her head towards the brunette and gently placing a kiss onto the woman's cheek, before almost running across the hall to her own room.

"Good night, Emma." She heard the amusement in Regina's voice as her hand turned the doorknob.

"Good night..." Came her own whispered reply. The blonde couldn't get into her chambers fast enough, her heart raced in her chest and her mouth felt dry, and she was suddenly very tired.


	4. Part 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to all that have taken the time to read this, comment, bookmark and/or subscribe! I love hearing what you think, so please keep it coming! I have a very rough outline for where this story will go, but that is always subject to change, but like I said earlier, I promise to finish it eventually. This next chapter is relatively short, but I felt it was necessary for character development. There are so many great fan fic stories out there, I just wanted to give a shout out to some of the ones that have helped inspire this story;
> 
> Both Ends of the Night by RowArk - it's not a completed story yet, but the updates come pretty regular and it's just a great read overall
> 
> Keep Your Enemies Closer by SpookshowBabyx - This is a longer story, but so worth it! 
> 
> Black & Blue by RowArk- again it's a work in progress, and honestly really dark and disturbing so read the warnings before diving in! Personally I have a real soft spot for Regina in most stories, but this one really helps me remember that she is the Evil Queen, and I mean truly quite vile. 
> 
> Okay, so on to the fourth chapter. There is some F/M action here, just to forewarn you, but don't worry the story is ultimately all Swan Queen.
> 
> I can't wait to hear what you think!
> 
> **************************************************************************************************

Emma fell down on the canopy bed. Utterly exhausted, and exhilarated. She didn't know what she was feeling, or why. But she did know all she wanted was to be in the presence of that beautiful, terrifying woman again. Regina had the ability to make her feel absolutely at ease and comfortable with who she was, yet at the same time she felt unsure of everything. Oh and that awful, wonderful feeling in her stomach.

She felt like she could tell the older woman anything and everything, for once she felt like she could be herself. All walls down totally and completely vulnerable in front of the queen, and there was nothing to fear...  
Yet, she was the evil queen. Only hours earlier the woman had smacked her across the face because she had forgot to call her 'Your Majesty'(something else Emma was conflicted about), then Regina insisted the girl call her by her first name. Not to mention she had spent her whole life running from this woman. The evil queen was supposed to kill her, the 'Savior', but Emma felt like they were becoming something, was it friends? Then again she wasn't sure. The princess didn't have much to compare it to, she didn't really have any friends.  
But there was that pull towards the woman, she reveled in just being near her, and if Regina touched her... Well it just sent the girl over the moon, even the slightest touch. Emma wanted more..more of Regina. Even if it did make her stomach do flips and tie in knots.  
The princess tried to close her eyes and fall asleep, the sooner she did so, the sooner she could be back with Regina. 

************************  
Regina paced her room, wringing her hands. Everything had changed. Well, not everything. She would still get her revenge on Snow. But now there was Emma.

' My little Swan,' she smiled to herself, then quickly frowned. She didn't want to feel anything for the girl.  
'Of course she's beautiful, and sweet, and innocent. Oh, and the way she looks at me... ' Regina shook her head.  
'No, no absolutely not. I won't hurt this girl intentionally, but if it happens... Well that's collateral damage. It's not personal..." Regina reassured herself, half heartedly.  
Frowning she looked out the window, trying to gain some control over herself.  
'What kind of people send their only child away to live like an orphan? Emma was right, I would have fought for the person I love.... I still am after all these years.'. Regina smiled softly at the thought of Daniel. It had been so long.

'I'm doing this as much for myself and Daniel, as I am for that girl. Eventually she'll understand. She'll get her revenge on the people that have hurt her as well.' The queen sighed, some what placated by her rationalizations.

A knock on the door broke her from her thoughts, her heart skipping a beat as she immediately thought of Emma. It wasn't the girl though, she knew that before she opened the door.

It was the huntsman, this was their arrangement, well, her arrangement. He was a pretty thing to look at, a play toy, a source of distraction, and physical release. That's all anyone invited or ordered into her bedchamber was. And Regina had preferred it that way. She had made it that way. But now... Everything was different now.

"Huntsman.." Regina opened the door to the heartless man and simply stared, debating. She was wound up from the events of the day, and she did need to clear her head, and he was hers for the taking. He wasn't what she really wanted right now, but she had to take it slow with the girl across the hall. This would help.

The queen grabbed her toy by the collar of his shirt, forcing her lips to his. There was no tenderness in this, just her taking what she needed.

"Get in." She growled, lips still touching his. She didn't want Emma to hear them in the hall.

Once she closed the door, she put up a sound barrier for good measure. Turning to the huntsman, she smiled cruelly, placing her hands to each shoulder and pushing him roughly towards her bed. Regina looked at him, even in the dim light she could see the void in his eyes, and it made her stomach turn. Waving her right hand, she extinguished any remaining candle light. She didn't want to look at him.

Sex between the two of them had never consisted of any emotion, and had bordered on the rougher side. Regina always the one to call the shots, but she suddenly felt especially cruel. 

As the queen pulled the belt out of his pant loops it dawned on her that she hated him. He made her sick.

The huntsman began to remove his shirt, when Regina interrupted him.

"Leave it. Take your pants off and lay on the bed, that's all that will be necessary." Her voice was ice cold.

The huntsman obeyed the order, which only fueled Regina's disgust. But she needed release, and he did belong to her.

As the brunette climbed onto the man he moved to stroke her hips, but she caught his hands, slapping them away.

"No. Keep them above your head or I'll bind them there." The queen spat. She didn't even want him to touch her.

Reaching between his legs she found his cock, and grabbed roughly, smiling when she felt him wince, this wasn't about his pleasure.  
But he was hard and ready for her, just the same. Always ready for her, regardless of how awful she was to him, or the fact that he didn't feel anything for her. He didn't feel anything at all.  
Guiding him into her she closed her eyes and focused on her own release. 

It felt more like a chore than something pleasurable, but Regina wasn't a quitter. Finally she was sated, it was far from a decent orgasm, but she felt less sexual tension. She was tired and wanted desperately to be rid of the man below her, so it was good enough.

" You're dismissed." The queen said as she rolled to the other side of the bed, burying her head in the soft pillow.

"Thank you, Your Majesty. The pleasure was.."

"Get out!" Regina yelled.  
Her voice reverberating off the walls. She was unable to listen to him any longer.  
"And huntsman, don't come to my chambers again, unless I order it!"

She waited to hear the door close before letting out a loud shriek into her pillow. Frustrated, angry screaming soon became sobs. Quiet, broken sobs, that soon gave in to exhaustion.

**********************************

Emma stirred in her bed. Something was wrong. She could just feel it, though she had no idea what it was. It felt like something broken, and sad, and terribly hurt. Pushing herself up, she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, the sun was barely making its way into the sky.

The blonde took assessment of herself. She was alright. Perhaps a bit in disbelief of the latest events, still trying to wrap her mind around everything. Not to mention the evil queen, no not the evil queen, Regina still hadn't decided upon the girl's fate. At least not to Emma's knowledge. But none of these things were causing her to feel the way she did.

'Regina,' the name flashed through Emma's head. Then again, stronger this time. 

The blonde started to slip out of bed when she felt it again.

'Regina, Regina. Regina.' Over and over, it felt like she was being pulled towards the door. Her heart racing. She didn't even know what she was doing as she opened the door and walked across the hall.

Before she could think better of it, Emma knocked on the Queen's large double doors.

"Regina..." The blonde whispered, wondering how out of line it would be to open the door and walk in.  
Biting her lip, she knocked again, louder this time. Nothing. Emma waited, she was good at waiting. Her entire life felt like waiting.

As she pulled back to knock once more the door swung open, taking the blonde by surprise. Emma stepped back, looking up at the brunette.

Regina looked absolutely murderous hands on her hips, glaring down at her. The girl was so stunned by the woman's expression she didn't notice Regina's red rimmed eyes, at first.

When the Queen's eyes adjusted and she realized that it was the girl at her door, her face softened. 

"Oh, Emma, it's you.". Regina rubbed her temples. " What's wrong? Do you need something? It's still very early, dear."

"You're sad." The girl blurted before she could think better of it.

Regina frowned.

Emma bit her lip, looking nervously at the queen.

"I'm fine," the brunette cleared her throat, annoyance lining her words.

'Liar' Emma thought, but didn't dare say.

Regina stared, she did enjoy the girl, but a lifetime of keeping people out and putting up walls wasn't going to change just because she liked the princess. It wasn't just to keep her distance from others, it was a habit built from self preservation.

"I got...scared." The blonde tried a different approach. The brunette looked at her, brows furrowed, studying the girl.

"Oh, really?" Regina arched her brow, crossing her arms over her breasts, black material clinging tightly to each curve.

"Yes... I woke up..and I forgot where I was.." The blonde glanced up, giving Regina another one of those wide eyed looks, wondering if the brunette was buying it.

Regina couldn't help the smile that swept across her face. She didn't believe the girl's story at all, but it was rather endearing, and she did enjoy the girl's company. 

Stepping aside, she motioned for the girl to come in, sighing with mock exasperation at Emma.

"I think you're a smart enough girl to realize I don't put up with liars." It was said harshly, but Emma caught the smile, which was quickly suppressed.

"I don't like when people lie to me either," the girl said pointedly. As soon as it came out of her mouth she wished she could grab it from the air and take it back.

'What are you doing? Don't antagonize her!' Emma scolded herself.

There was that arched brow again. The princess thought maybe the queen would change her mind and incinerate her on the spot.

Regina grabbed her chin, to the girl's relief the touch may have been firm, but there was a gentleness to it. One of the woman's fingers stroking her cheek.

"Watch it, my swan." It was a warning, Emma knew enough to recognize that, but she didn't think any real damage had been done.

The girl sighed.

"I'm sorry Regina.." She said, looking into deep brown eyes, just to make sure.

"You're forgiven, Emma. But don't push me, especially not this early." The brunette looked out the window.  
"The sun is barely out, aren't you tired?" The queen never slept particularly well, and last night was no exception. She could already feel a terrible headache coming on. Regina rubbed her temples again.

Emma watched cautiously, daring to sit on the edge of the bed.  
"Maybe... Maybe I can lay with you?" The blonde tilted her head. 

She knew something was troubling the queen, and she felt an odd yearning to make it better, or at the very least, keep her company.

Regina looked at her quizzically. She knew that she had been having an effect on the girl. This wasn't her first time seducing someone.

'That's not really what I'm doing though.' She frowned for a moment, not wanting to think of herself as corrupting the girl.

'Perhaps a sexual awakening of sorts,' Regina smirked.

But this was different. She got the feeling Emma genuinely wanted her company, no ulterior motives involved. And the girl had sensed she was distraught, but Regina didn't think the princess was trying to exploit that knowledge. That was more than rare for the Queen. And truth be told, she desperately wanted the girl's company.

"Up." She demanded as she tugged Emma's arm, removing the girl from her bed.

Emma frowned, but didn't fight the older woman. She was sure Regina was going to send her back to her own room.

'My own room?' Emma wondered. Only one night and it already felt like hers. That was a first, the only place where she had a designated room was at her parent's palace. But it had never felt like hers, she was never there.

To Emma's relief, Regina waved her right hand over the bed, magic smoke covering it, as silky sheets changed from a blood red to a dark blue. It wasn't Regina's favorite color, but it reminded her of the ruined dress Emma wore when she had first come to the castle, yesterday.

'Yesterday. Good God, is that all?' Regina wondered to herself.

"There, that's much better." The older woman pulled down the sheets climbing into the bed, graceful as ever. She motioned for the girl to join her.

Emma slid into the large bed, eyeing the the dark haired woman next to her. She felt that fluttering in her stomach and an odd ache traveling from between her legs to her abdomen. It wasn't exactly painful, in fact it felt sort of warm and good, but it was troubling. Emma briefly wondered if she was afflicted with something.

"Thank you..for letting me stay." It came out rather breathlessly, and Regina turned towards the girl in time to see a slight blush cross her face, as Emma focused her eyes on the comforter. 

The queen smiled, it was somewhere between Regina's smile and the Evil Queen's. Regina knew she should be the one thanking the girl for staying, thanking her for attempting to comfort her at all, but the brunette couldn't bring herself to say the words. She already felt so vulnerable. 

"You're welcome, Emma," the woman said, drawing out the girl's name. Her hands found golden curls that had broken free of their braid in the night.

And it may have been somewhat cruel, especially after the kindness Emma had extended towards her, but Regina had the urge to see if she could deepen the light pink blush on the girl's skin.

"Do you like me, Em-ma?" The brunette asked almost coyly, playing with the girl's hair. She smiled as she saw the princess's blush turn a few shades darker.

Emma's throat felt dry and she felt uncomfortably hot all of a sudden. She wanted to look up at this beautiful, terrifying woman, but she couldn't find the courage to do so. 

The question felt loaded, and the way Regina said her name made her heart beat faster. She could feel the woman staring at her, tugging her hair, it was somewhere between playful and dangerous.

"Ye-yes..." Emma finally choked out, willing her eyes to meet the brown ones beside her.

Regina was smiling. Well, the Queen was smiling. It made Emma squirm just a little, which did not go unnoticed by Regina, only causing that predatory smile to deepen. 

The brunette scooted a bit closer, reveling in the way the girl's breath increased. She moved one of her hands to wrap around the blonde's waist, feeling the girl's muscles tighten slightly at her touch.

"You do hmm?" Regina toyed, and Emma knew it wasn't a question, she just kept her eyes locked with the older woman's. She felt almost paralyzed. 

Emma had the urge to touch Regina, but it felt like playing with fire. And honestly aside from wondering how well it would be received, the girl wasn't really sure how to go about fulfilling this urge, or what it meant.

Finally Emma found a bit of courage, as she cleared her throat.

"Do...do you like me?" The princess asked, figuring turn about was fair play, although it came out less smooth and much more vulnerable than the way Regina had asked.

Noticing a dark stray hair laying on the woman's face, Emma moved a trembling hand to tuck it behind the brunette's ear. It seemed like an adequate excuse to touch the woman.

Regina let out a small laugh,  
'Quick learner,' she thought. The Queen recognized what Emma was doing and she thought she had a pretty good grasp on what the girl was feeling, even if the blonde did not.

Still, she commended the girl for her bravery, and she noticed the way the girl's hand trembled as it moved towards her.

Regina decided to show mercy. At least a little bit. She clasped her hand over Emma's, holding it against her cheek, reassuringly.

"Yes, I like you quite a lot, my Swan."

Regina's voice came out husky, and in combination with the words that the woman spoke, Emma almost felt like she was floating.

"Now, I really am tired dear. Do you think you could allow me to sleep a few more candle marks? Then we will get something to eat, and go about the business of what to do with you." Of course Regina wasn't really asking for permission, she had already closed her eyes and tightened her hold around the girl's waist. Loving the way her Swan was almost panting.

'With such little work, and no magic at all, she's already so worked up.' Regina smiled to herself.

The brunette was quite wound up herself, but she had stamina, and patience. She desperately craved taking the girl, totally claiming her, but she wanted this to be good, and it was so much fun playing. It was a process, and in all honesty she was already making the girl hers. Time was on her side, and when the time was right she would have her.

As for Emma, the princess was both relieved and completely disappointed. But she thought better of pushing Regina anymore than she already had. Something told her she was quickly getting in over her head. Still, Emma knew temptation and curiosity couldn't be stifled forever.

The girl shut her eyes and tried to sleep, but the aching between her legs and the knots in her stomach were quite distracting. Not to mention the slender arm holding her in place, and the dark haired woman laying beside her.  
Emma sighed looking at Regina, when she noticed the woman's breathing begin to slow she dared to move a little closer. Then, as if working up her courage, she wrapped her arm around the Queen and tried to sleep.


	5. Part 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all again for your comments, kudos and/or taking the time to read this little story of mine. I will try to have the next chapter up in the very near future! As always, I love hearing what you all think, so please don't hesitate!  
> ************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Half asleep, Regina felt something brushing against her face. It was light, just barely there enough for her to register the sensation. Scrunching her face, she brought her hand up, swatting at the nuisance. Making contact, her hand found something soft, wrapping and tangling around her fingers.

Slowly opening her eyes, adjusting to the light flaring through the window, consciousness crept over the dark haired woman. Inspecting her hand she recognized the golden tendrils, and became aware of the weight of the girl on top of her.

'My Swan.' She smiled to herself, looking down she saw the blonde's head resting on her chest, still sleeping peacefully, moving slightly with the rise and fall of the Queen's breath, and a pale arm clung snugly around her abdomen. Regina smoothed the unruly hair down, enjoying the soft feeling of the girl's curls. Emma unconsciously wrapped her arm tighter around the older woman, sighing contently.

'Oh, how horrified Snow would be, to see her little girl so willingly wrapped around the Evil Queen.' Regina's lip curled, into something that was not quite a smile, not quite a snarl. Thinking about Snow was good. It helped keep everything in perspective, nice neat little boxes. If Cora had taught her daughter anything, it was to be tidy. Feelings got in the way, spilling out every where making a mess. Eye on the prize.

'Yes, I think I will grant that wretched woman some mercy, instead of wondering where her precious daughter is, I'll make sure she knows her child is safe and sound with me.' Regina's eyes gleamed, thinking of the events that were sure to play out later in the day.

She ran her hand down the sleeping girl, stopping at the small of her back. Gently rubbing small circles, she used her other hand to free herself from the pale arm that was wrapped around her. The blonde stirred for a moment, trying to move her arm back around the woman.  
Regina gently grabbed the girls hand, entwining their fingers together.

"Emma..." She whispered, leaning into golden hair. "Wake up, my Swan."

The Queen noticed some signs of life, as the girl moved slightly and tightened her grasp around Regina's fingers.

"Come on Emma, it's time to wake up." The brunette shook the girl a bit, who responded by groaning.

Finally, Emma lifted her head, squinted eyes meeting the Queen's.  
"Do you know where you are? I don't want you to get frightened again." Regina spoke fluently in sarcasm.

The blonde looked at her, perplexed, then as she recalled her excuse for staying with the older woman, she simply gave Regina a lopsided smile, shrugging slightly.

The brunette rolled her eyes, but Emma was glad to see a smile trying to force it's way across the woman's face. It wasn't until now that Emma realized she was practically draped across the Queen, her hand held tightly by the woman.

Quickly, as if on fire, because honestly it felt like she was, the princess pulled herself up into a sitting position, Regina releasing her hand as she did so. Emma could feel herself flush, and her heart begin to race.

She wasn't frightened. No, she was terrified, not of the Evil Queen, not exactly, but rather the things that were coming alive within her. 

Regina suppressed a chuckle, and pulled herself upright. She couldn't read Emma's mind, but she had a fairly good idea of what was going on in that pretty blonde head. A large part of her wanted to torment the girl. Maybe lean over her just so, letting her nightgown dip just enough, or run her hand down the blonde's body. Make her blush and pant some more.

It wasn't necessarily out of cruelty, although it was something akin to that. Regina enjoyed power, it was almost like oxygen for her, and she loved how responsive Emma was to her every word, every glance or caress. She couldn't remember the last time she had so much power over some one without the use of magic. Oh of course she had plenty of admirers, the mirror could attest to that, but all of them wanted something from her, be it her body or her influence or her magic, it was never just for her. No one had been so innocently, unselfishly captivated by her for many years. It was very tempting.

But they had a long day ahead of them. She would need Emma strong, even confident for what she knew would transpire. The Queen had a good bit of work to do.

"Should we get breakfast?" Regina arched her brow.

Nodding enthusiastically, Emma brushed back the tendrils that had broken free from her braid. She idly wondered what delectable treats would be offered at the Queen's table. Regardless of how her stomach flipped and flopped she still had an appetite.

"Excellent. You can get washed up and dressed in your chambers, when you're finished meet me back here." Regina instructed, noting the way the girl scooted out of the bed, so eager to please.

'She's just too tempting to resist, and she enjoys it just as much,' Regina thought to herself. 'A little fun won't hurt anything.'

"Oh, and Emma, there is one other thing.." The brunette reached her arm out, gently pressing down on the girl's thigh, holding her in place. Regina smirked, feeling the muscles twitch beneath her hand.

The blonde looked at her, wide eyed, mouth ever so slightly agape.  
The older woman brought her free hand up to Emma's pink cheek, the blonde offering no resistance as she pulled her in. She could feel the girl's heightened breath, leaning in the brunette pressed her lips to the corner of the princess's mouth, using a bit more force and lingering just a little longer than the previous pecks. The kiss was more on the blonde's lips, than her cheek, barely bordering the line of innocent.

Emma couldn't help letting out a sharp breath, sounding something like a gasp and a mewl. It was quiet, and had Regina not been cheek to cheek with the girl she wouldn't have heard it. The brunette smiled, showing her teeth.

"Thank you Emma." Regina slowly moved away, trailing her hand across the girl's cheek.

The blonde furrowed her brows.

"I know why you lied, and while it was very foolish, it was also very sweet. And I suppose rather brave, but don't make a habit out of lying to me." The Queen finished, giving the girl her classic arched brow.

Emma's heart was thumping so hard in her chest, she could only manage a stunned nod, before sliding out of the large bed.

There were so many feelings coursing through the blonde's body, so many of them unrecognizable. She wanted to dive back into the woman and wrap her arms around her, she wanted to run out of the room. She wanted to press her lips to the brunette's. Emma briefly wondered what this meant, but was unable to come up with a sufficient explanation.

"I... Your bed is more comfortable." The blonde smiled awkwardly, raising her brows. It wasn't a lie.

Regina let out a deep laugh, this girl was a source of constant amusement, and something else the queen couldn't quite put her finger on.

"Of course it is. What would you expect?" Regina smiled, shaking her head. "Go get ready, Em-ma."

The way the brunette purred her name made the girl feel a tingling and warmth spread out from her core.

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When the Queen opened up her chamber doors to the Princess, Emma was taken aback by how breathtakingly beautiful the older woman looked. Her long dark hair swept to the side, deep red lips, paired with a black dress that dipped dangerously low and clung almost impossibly tight.

The blonde felt so plain next to Regina. When she returned to her room the girl had found a lovely white dress laying on her bed. It was slightly lower cut and more form fitting from the gowns she was accustomed to, but it was nothing like the brunette's.

"You look stunning my Swan.". Regina smiled, softly tugging on the girl's arm, relishing the way Emma obediently moved closer.

"Not like you," the Princess breathed out. Giving the older woman that look. The one that was something like admiration and wonder, and maybe worship.

"No, not like me. But I think this suits you better." Regina slid her hands to the girl's waist, holding her. "Plus I think you look absolutely ravishing," she finished with a rather feral smile, noticing the way Emma blushed and ducked her head slightly.

"Thank you," the blonde finally said, meeting the older woman's gaze. It was strange how the compliment affected her, Emma had never been one to particularly care about her looks, but since being in the presence of this woman, she was suddenly keenly aware and even slightly insecure. Hearing Regina compliment her sent her heart fluttering all over again.

"Will you try something for me Emma?" Regina was studying her intently.

"What is it?" The blonde wanted to say 'yes, anything,' but something held her back.

"I want you to take us to the dining hall.." The older woman never broke her intense gaze, moving her hand into the blonde's hair.

Emma looked absolutely panick stricken, she desperately wanted to please the queen, but she was terrified of her own magic, or even the stigma of using it.

Regina saw how instantly tense and worried the girl became. The brunette kept playing with the blonde's hair, pulling the girl closer to her.  
"What are you afraid of? Tell me, my Swan." The older woman cooed, holding the girl in her arms. 

"I don't know how, Regina. I..I've never been allowed to..." Emma looked at the woman painfully, almost pleading. The Queen cupped her face.

Regina did feel bad the girl was in such torment, but it wasn't her fault. Those idiots had done this; made the girl hate and fear a part of herself.

"This is part of who you are, dear. A wonderful part, it's a gift, and not something to be shut away. Let me help you learn to use it and control it." Regina's eyes searched the blonde's, wishing again that she could read the blonde's mind. There just seemed to be more to it than the girl was letting on.

"Are you afraid of.. becoming evil?" The Queen finally hit the nail on the head, she didn't know why she hadn't thought of this sooner. Emma simply bit her lip, looking up at the brunette, searching for something like acceptance, she nodded her head.

"Emma, what you do with your magic is up to you, and only you." Regina's heart throbbed, thinking of herself when she was young, just learning her power, and how afraid she was of becoming like her own mother. Rapidly, she tried to push those thoughts away, they were much too painful to take out and examine while she was dealing with such sensitive matters.

"I know that I am... Well, less than well received throughout our land, but I have my reasons for who I am. I promise I'm not asking you to be like me, I'm just asking you to be you. Not for me, although I do want that, but for you, Emma. You owe it to yourself." Regina couldn't bare referring to herself as 'The Evil Queen', in front of the girl. She tried telling herself that it wouldn't bode well for her plans, but a deep part of herself dimly realized there was much more to it than that.

For Emma, the words the dark haired woman spoke touched a part of her heart and soul that were in much need of repair, love, and acceptance. She had spent her entire life feeling not good enough, and now this beautiful woman was telling her to be herself, not for the Queen, not for the kingdom or her parents, just for her. It was a bit intoxicating.

"You'll show me how?" Emma stared into brown eyes with absolute trust.

"I'll show you anything you want, Emma." The statement was full of promise and even as inexperienced as the girl was, she heard the intimacy in the woman's words.

"This one is pretty easy.. Are you ready?" Regina quickly brought the conversation back on course. Emma bit her lip, but she nodded her consent to the Queen.

"Good. Turn around," she instructed the girl, wrapping her arms around the blonde, who in turn leaned back into the woman, feeling as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

" Do you feel that?" The Queen ran her hand up from the Princess's abdomen to her chest. The action made the girl gasp slightly. Emma felt a lot at the moment. There was a certain electrifying feeling moving inside her, she wasn't sure if it was the magic or Regina, or a combination of both.

"Yes... I think so.." She finally managed.

" Good, now concentrate. Think of the dining hall.. Think of.." Before Regina could finish a blueish white cloud covered them and the next moment they were standing in the dining hall.

"Was that... Did you? Was that me?" Emma spun around in the woman's arms until she faced the brunette. Regina was absolutely beaming, and it made Emma feel so warm and good, she couldn't remember ever feeling this way. This good about herself.

"Good girl!" The Queen exclaimed, cupping the girl's face in both her hands and pressing her lips to the blonde's. Smiling as she felt the girl kiss back, and bring warm hands to her own face. It was spontaneous on both parts, and entirely sweet, and although Regina had plenty of experience she could only think of one person that had ever kissed her that way.

Regina finally broke the kiss, almost laughing at the blonde's expression, which resembled a pout. 

"So sweet.." the Queen purred, licking her lips. "Did you like that?"

Emma had almost forgotten about using magic in the wake of the kiss, and now she wondered which one the woman was referring to.

"Using your magic, Emma. Did you like it?" Regina clarified, smiling smugly, as if reading the girl's mind.

"That was really me? You didn't do anything?" The blonde asked again skeptically, still not believing in herself.

"All I did was try and show you how, which, might I add, you barely needed." Regina stared at her swan proudly.

Emma thought for a moment. 'It had been so easy, and kind of fun. No, it was really fun. And nothing bad had happened.' The blonde frowned as she thought about how horribly she was made to feel about possessing magic. How the people she had loved and trusted, tried to rip this gift out of her.

"What's wrong, Princess? Did you not enjoy it?" Regina asked with genuine worry. She noticed how quickly the girl's face had changed and she worried she had pushed things too quickly.

"No, that's not it.." Emma replied, still trapped in her thoughts. Shaking her head, she finally continued.  
" I liked it.... a lot.. I can't believe I was so afraid to use it.." Emma wrinkled her brow, trying to explain.  
"They made me so afraid. And so ashamed." She started with disbelief, but it soon turned into anger. The blonde had moved away from the older woman, and started pacing. She was talking to Regina as much as she was talking to herself.  
"Never feeling good enough, always trying to be better, always trying to be something that I wasn't.. Having to live up to being 'the savior'.…" Emma was getting angrier and angrier as she spoke. Regina could see the fury building up in the girl, and while this is what she had wanted, she could see pain there too, and she didn't like seeing her Swan in pain.

"Emma, it's going to be alright." The Queen said softly, moving towards the girl.

"Alright?" Emma's brows shot up, as she moved away from the woman's touch. "I hated myself. I wanted to die, I begged you to kill me because of what they did! And then, I finally let myself use it... And here I still am, no one was hurt or killed, nothing was destroyed..." The blonde started laughing. A cold broken sound born from pain and disbelief, void of any joy.

"Emma, stop it!" Regina scolded, trying to hold onto her patience and keep her wits about her. She wasn't afraid of anyone, least of all a girl, but it was rather unsettling, and she hadn't prepared for such an outburst. Maybe she shouldn't have encouraged the girl.

"My Swan, please calm down so we can talk about this." She softened, placing her hand on the blonde's shoulder and to her relief the girl didn't rebuff the touch, she even felt the princess relax a bit. The brunette guided the girl to the same chair she had been sitting in the previous night, just right of the queen.

"Have you ever had someone try to remove your magic?" The blonde asked earnestly, her voice almost a whisper. Regina took her seat at the head of the table, clearing her throat.

"No, dear I must say that while I have experienced quite a bit of.... unpleasantness, that is one thing I have been lucky enough not to endure." The woman answered honestly. Regina sensing, the girl wanted to elaborate remained quiet and refrained from eating, she simply waited.

After what felt like an unbearably long time, Emma started again.

"I was so ashamed with who I was.." The blonde started, staring into her empty plate, voice hallow. "I was willing to do anything to be good. To be what they wanted, and my parents were so happy, so proud when they thought Blue would be able to get rid of it. She just kept talking about how out of control I was getting, how I would never be the savior, that magic was going to corrupt me from being anything good." Emma's voice broke, but she didn't cry and she continued.  
"Blue believes that humans have no place possessing magic. I heard her tell my parents it was an abomination, and they believed her.... so did I. So when they tried to convenience me to....to get rid of my magic, it didn't take much work." Emma paused a moment taking a deep breath, the brunette felt like she had been holding hers. The girl's story tying her stomach in knots and that familiar hot rage was rising up her body. But Regina tried to swallow it all down and be present for the girl, she reached out her hand, clasping the blonde's.

Emma squeezed the Queen's hand, summoning the strength to continue.

"It hurt so bad. I felt like my skin was being ripped off... I cried and begged them to stop, but they just told me to be brave. Finally, I just passed out, when I woke up the glass in the room started popping, windows, mirrors, the chandelier. It was pretty obvious my magic wasn't gone, they were so disappointed, and Blue kept saying we could try again.." Emma let out a sharp cold chuckle, shaking her head. "That's when I came here," the blonde shrugged, but she squeezed the Queen's hand a little tighter.

"Emma.." Regina started, honestly not sure where to start. God, the girl reminded her so much of herself. One being forced into magic, the other being forced out. Both just wanting desperately to be loved. She felt herself getting angry all over again, angry with those idiots and Blue, angry at Rumple and her mother..

Shaking her head of those thoughts, she started again. "Emma... Thank you."

The blonde's head shot up, scrunched up in confusion.

"For coming here, for being so brave, for sharing your story with me." Regina reached her hand up to stroke the girl's cheek, glad to see her Swan lean into the touch.

"I suppose I should thank you for not killing me," Emma gave a halfhearted smile, pain and anger still in her eyes, but it had faded down a bit. Regina smirked, about to say something when the girl interjected.

"Regina," she started somberly. "Thank you, for everything, really. But thank you for convincing me to use my magic. I don't want to be afraid or ashamed anymore. I don't know why you've been so kind to me, but thank you."

"You won't be, I'll teach you how to use it, how to control it. And I promise, it's yours to use however you want." Regina was surprised to find that she was actually speaking the truth, she had no intention of using the girl's magic against her.

"What do you want?" Emma asked bravely, staring at the Queen. 

"Well that's very out and out isn't?" Regina sighed, trying to put the words together. She wanted to be honest with the girl, but she didn't, she couldn't tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth.  
"What do I want, Emma?" She repeated the question, buying some time. "I want you to stay here and be my Swan," she smiled at the soft sweet way the blonde reacted to her words. 

Emma looked down, smiling shyly, she could feel a light blush in her cheeks. The girl wondered what exactly the woman meant by her words and a part of her marveled at this beautiful Queen wanting the blonde as her anything.

"What about my parents?" Emma finally asked.

"What about them? Your practically an adult. In fact, I was just a bit older than you when I became Queen. If you want to stay with me that's your choice, you'll just have to tell them, dear." Regina paused a moment, then added, "of course if you don't want to-"

"I do!" The blonde interrupted, then bit her lip, giving Regina that sheepish smile. "Sorry, for interrupting you. I do want to stay, though."

"Good," the brunette smiled, showing her white teeth. She couldn't wait for Snow to hear about her daughter's whereabouts.  
'Serves them right, these idiots go around thinking they know what's best for everyone, destroying people's lives. Well, they're about to reap the seeds of that behavior.' Regina thought to herself.

"We do need to inform your parents though, dear. I don't want to start another war." The older woman spoke tentatively.

"I would never let them do that to you." The blonde spoke so solemnly, Regina found it both heart warming and heartbreaking. 

"That's very sweet, Emma.." The blonde caught the almost choked way the Queen's words came out. "But hopefully it won't come to that."

"It won't Regina, I promise." The girl tried to reassure the older woman as much as herself. 

The brunette leaned over to the girl, who responded in turn, moving closer to the woman. It was as if they were magnets, equally pulling each other closer. Regina brought her lips to the blonde's, parting them just slightly, running her tongue over the blonde's responsive mouth, nibbling gently on her lower lip. The woman was pleased to hear the girl let out a soft moan.

Playing with Emma's hair as she slowly pulled away, the Queen smiled at her blushing Swan, the fun was just beginning.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here goes for part 6. Thank you all again! I hope you enjoy this chapter, as always let me know what you think! Hopefully I will get chapter 7 up soon, I have a few things going on in life, so it might be next week by the time I am able to get to it, but I will do so ASAP!  
> Thanks again!
> 
>  
> 
> *****************************************************************************************************************************************

Following breakfast Regina suggested a walk around the castle grounds. After the eventful morning she thought some fresh air and sunlight might do the girl some good. Truth be told, the brunette needed it as well.

The Queen could barely remember the last time she felt so comfortable in the company of another person. Emma was sweet and easy to be around, she didn't make Regina feel hated or evil. Quite to the opposite, she made her feel like the girl she used to be. They walked together, hand in hand, sometimes they would talk and other times they would just enjoy each others silent company. There was something to be said for that, being comfortable in each others silence without any awkwardness.

Regina's head was swimming with thoughts. She was trying to focus on hurting Snow, but her mind kept going back to the blonde that was holding her hand. It had been years since she had let herself truly feel anything for anyone, anything emotional at least, and while she couldn't even admit it to herself, Emma was getting closer and closer to her heart.

The brunette smiled, thinking of the way her Swan always responded to her, the way she blushed and panted over the Queen, how eager the girl always was to please her. That way she would look at the dark haired woman; all trust and admiration. The way the blonde had bravely used her magic at Regina's request, and what a quick learner the girl was. Regina briefly wondered if she would be that quick in all her studies.

"I'm nervous." Emma blurted, shaking the older woman from her thoughts. The blonde bit her lip, looking at the woman for reassurance.

"Are you having second thoughts?" Regina worried aloud, running her hands down either side of the girl's corseted waist. The brunette would die if anyone knew, but she was full of insecurities, she knew she was powerful, and what she was worth sexually, but as a person, as a friend or anything resembling that, the Queen did not find a lot of worth within herself. No one else seemed to either, so it was a constant surprise to her that the girl wanted to be in her company. She almost had to remind herself that she wasn't using magic on the girl.

"No, I want to stay here, with you. I'm just nervous." The blonde reassured her, completely unaware of the Queen's rabid insecurities.

"I'll be with you," Regina smiled. She wouldn't miss it for the world.

"You're going to the palace with me?" The blonde looked worried. "Regina, I don't know if that will be safe for you."

The brunette chuckled, raising her eyebrows. It was nice to have someone worry about her safety, as silly as that was.

"No, my dear, and neither are you. I wouldn't risk them holding you there and hurting you more than they already have. Those idio.. Your parents," Regina quickly corrected herself. "Will probably think I cast some sort of spell over you." The brunette did mean what she said, but it was also a reminder to Emma. She didn't think the girl would ever forget the pain her parents had caused her, but she didn't want the blonde to lose her nerve. Some decent part of Regina wondered about the morality of this. She did care for the girl. Was she actively hurting her by perpetuating the girl's belief that her parents couldn't love her for who she was?

Regina groaned inwardly.   
'Think about revenge, think about Daniel. Think about what they did to this girl," was the mantra running through her head.

"How am I going to speak with them?" The blonde interrupted her thoughts again.

"Using the mirror." Regina was slipping slightly towards impatience, the girl could be so naive.

"Oh.." Emma fell silent as they continued walking, still hand in hand.

The blonde felt her stomach tying in knots, not the good ones Regina gave her, these were full of dread and anxiety. She was a plethora of emotions. Worried about her parents reaction, she was sure she would never gain the love and acceptance she craved from them, now. But maybe it didn't matter, she had tried so hard in the past and what had that gotten her? More pain and suffering, utter disappointment. She had felt so broken for so long. Now here she was with the person that was supposed to kill her, the Evil Queen, Regina. Regina, who had shown her more understanding than anyone had in her life. The person she had been warned about was the one person to make her feel whole again. It was all so confusing, Emma was ready to be done with this whole mess.

"Can I tell them now?" The blonde broke the silence, it was becoming a habit it seemed.

"Right now?" Regina studied the girl. "You just want to get it over with?"

Emma nodded, looking out at the horizon. "I don't want to worry about it anymore." The blonde bit her lip. The older woman smoothed her hand over the girl's hair, she never got tired of petting the girl.

"I understand that. If that's what my Swan wants, that's what she shall have." Regina whispered in her ear, promising. The way the woman said it sent shivers down the girl's spine, and momentarily distracted her from the thought of her parents.

"Come along then, let's get this over with... Then we can have some fun." The brunette's voice was husky and Emma wondered what the woman meant by 'fun', but she followed obediently.

*******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Emma realized for the first time how easy it would be to become lost inside of Regina's castle. Twist and turn after twist and turn. Finally the older woman lead her into a large hall with an arched ceiling, impenetrable stone walls around her, it was rather foreboding. Emma looked at the large mirror. It took up half the wall, and was framed with ornate gold designs, but other than that, it looked like any other mirror.

"Emma, are you alright, dear" Regina turned towards the girl, holding her out by the shoulders, inspecting the blonde. The dark haired woman did want this, oh she wanted all of it indeed. But she didn't want to hurt the girl.  
'She's been hurt enough,' the woman thought.

"I'm.... I'm ready to have this over with." The blonde stammered, biting her lip anxiously. Regina pushed down the urge to take the girl's lip between her own teeth.

"Emma, everything is going to be fine. Your parents can't expect to control you forever. Your not hurting anyone, your not disowning them, your just standing up for yourself. And I am so proud of you." Regina finished by giving the blonde a soft kiss on the cheek. To the brunettes delight she saw a flash of disappointment cross the girl's pale face.

Emma felt slightly reassured by the woman's words, it was odd. She had known the Queen for little more than a night, but she felt absolutely at home with her. Then again, Regina really had always been in her life, even if just as a shadow looming in the distance  
"Are you ready then?" Regina asked gently, grabbing the girl's hand and giving it one last tight squeeze. Emma took in a large breath, bracing herself, then nodded to the dark haired woman.

Regina looked at their reflection, before summoning the mirror, she in all black, the girl in white. She smiled, thinking to herself; 'the Queen and her Swan. I feel like a lucky woman today.'

"Mirror! Show me Snow!" The brunette ordered, feeling Emma move closer to her, until there wasn't any space left between them.

Regina smiled, wrapping her arm around the girl, who immediately relaxed at her touch.  
'This will be an excellent view for Snow' she thought, almost unable to believe things were working so much in her favor.

The mirror rippled as Snow and Prince Charming came into view. The princess's mother was laying in bed crying, her father pacing the chamber, trying to reassure his wife.

"Snow White...," Regina called out to the insufferable brat.  
"Snow dear, do come chat with me.." It took a few minutes and a couple tries, but Snow finally came to the mirror. 

She squinted as the image became clear, then gasped, followed by a scream.

"James!" She screamed, but the man was already by her side, reaching out to hold her. The couple gaped in absolute horror.

"It seems I have something of yours.." The Queen drawled, smugly.  
'Something that used to be yours,' she thought to herself.

"Emma... Oh God, Emma.." Snow stammered.

"Let her go, Regina." James stated.

"I'm fine, she's not keeping me here against my will," Emma spoke up, bravely.

"No. No. No. Regina, please don't do this! We can make a trade, my life for hers." Snow pleaded.

Regina let out a sharp, cold laugh, before addressing the morons.

"What is it I am doing exactly? Informing you that I found your missing daughter? Would you have preferred to keep looking for her in vain? You should be thanking me, Snow. I thought I taught you manners." Regina shook her head in mock disappointment.

"Emma, we will save you, don't worry sweetheart." James tried to reassure his daughter.

"Snow, James... Please, I told you I'm fine. She didn't kidnap me, she's not making me stay here." Emma was getting defensive, and Regina recognized the rise of emotion in the girl's voice.

"You don't know what you're saying, Emma!" The girl's mother reprimanded.

"Yes... Yes I do!" Emma was getting angrier. Regina could see the girl clenching her fists, tiny shards of the bluish white light shooting out of her palms. The brunette tightened her hold around the girl, leaning into her golden curls.

"It's alright, don't get upset my Swan." She cooed, whispering to the blonde.

"What did she just do? Emma, get away from her!" James ordered.

"Stop it! She didn't do anything! She just told be not to get upset! She didn't do anything! Why won't you ever believe me?" The girl tried.

"Emma is fine, as she's told you. She is not a prisoner, she can come and go as she pleases." Regina stepped in.

"Good. We will be there by night fall to get her." Snow yelled, determined as ever. Regina felt Emma tense up next to her.

"Of course, if that's what Emma wants.." Regina looked at the girl.  
"Is that what you want, my Swan?" The Queen stroked the blonde under the chin. She heard the girl's parents gasp, reveling in the display she was giving the two idiots.

"No.." Emma said, staring into the brunette's eyes, then turning towards her parents. " No, I'm staying here for now." Emma paused, " I love you both, but I am staying here. I promise I'm fine here."

"Regina, what have you done to her?" Snow whined.

"She hasn't done anything!" The girl screamed, her temper unraveling. "What has she done? What has she done?" Emma yelled in disbelief, letting out a broken laugh.  
"What about what you've done?" The blonde asked coolly, Snow looked like she had been slapped. James looked confused.  
"I came here..."

"You what..?" Both parents asked in disbelief.

"I came here," the blonde continued. "On my own. I asked her to kill me.."

"You did what? Emma why?" Snow looked at her daughter with disappointment.

"Because I couldn't take all the pressure! I don't want to be the Savior! I'm sorry that I have magic, but nothing is going to change that! You can't just take it away, you made me hate myself!" Emma was close to tears, Regina could tell by her voice.

"Regina is poisoning you against us.." James spoke as Snow stared in shock.

"I assure you, I am not." Regina spoke up before Emma could say anything. "It seems that you two have done a fine job of that."

"Emma, we're sorry, now please stop this. We are coming to bring you home." James lamely apologized, still holding his wife.

"Home? Where is that exactly? With the dwarves? Or are you planning to send me back to Blue?" Regina was surprised at the coldness in the girl's voice.

"We can talk about that later!" James gritted.

"No! I've already told you, I'm not going, not now. I'm not a child!" The blonde yelled.

"Emma this isn't.." James started, but was swiftly cut off.

"Enough!" Regina bellowed. "I think Emma has made up her mind," she glanced at the girl, "do you have anything else you want to say?"

"I love you both, but I am staying. Please understand that." Emma tried being civil, not wanting to end the conversation without expressing her love for both her parents.

"Emma, we love you. Please.." Snow tried, "please don't do this, it has to be some sort of spell she put on you. We can get Blue, we can.."

"That's exactly why I am staying!" Emma screamed, having had enough of the conversation. 

"It's alright dear." Regina ran her fingers through the girl's blonde hair. "Why don't you let me finish this conversation? You can wait outside." The Queen finished by planting a kiss softly against the girl's lips, to the horror of the idiots. She was happy to feel the girl push back against her, and see that pink blush on the girl's skin, despite the unpleasant conversation.

Regina waited until the girl left, ignoring the drivel from the blonde's parents. 

"Now, I believe Emma has made it clear that she wants to stay with me." Regina turned towards Snow and James, smiling coldly. The look on Snow's face was so rewarding. The woman looked completely broken.

"Please Regina, I'm begging you. I will come in Emma's place.."

"Oh no dear, you're not welcome here at all! I don't enjoy your company, but your beautiful daughter, now that is a different story." Regina laughed.

Snow started crying.

"Don't you dare do anything to her!" James threatened.

"Don't worry, I don't plan on doing anything to her.. At least nothing that she doesn't want done." Regina felt almost drunk with the exhilaration of it all.

"We aren't going to just let you.." James started.

"Oh yes, yes you are going to let me!" The queen snarled. "You are going to let Emma stay here, because at least then she will be alive, if you come for her I will know before you even get halfway here. And then you can retrieve her cold, lifeless body. If I'm feeling generous!" Regina threatened, she found the words made her sick to say, even to think about. But she needed some sort of leverage, and the idiots would never believe she wouldn't actually make good on her threat.

James went to say something, but Snow stopped him.  
"She means it James, don't push her anymore." She warned tearfully.

"Well look who grew a brain! I think that's the smartest thing you've ever said, Snow." Regina spat the woman's name.

"Please Regina, we will do whatever you want, but please let us see her." Snow cried.

"That will be up to Emma." The brunette thought for a moment, then continued. " I suppose I could put in a good word for you. We will talk, like this, again next week. I trust that you two will follow orders and stay put? I really would hate to kill such a lovely girl, when there are so many other uses for her. It seems like such a waste." Regina taunted. 

"Please Regina, we promise.."

"Good," the woman cut her stepdaughter off. "Until next week."  
Regina waved her hand, as the view of Snow and James faded she could still hear their protests and pleas. 

Regina sighed, running her hands down her dress, smoothing out the fabric. She felt giddy, high even. The look on Snow's face was so satisfying, and now she was going to be able to see it again and again. She almost couldn't wait until next week, her head was spinning with new ways she could torture the couple. Particularly Snow, James was just guilty by association. She could have spent the whole day replaying the conversation, but she needed to collect her prize. Her Swan was waiting for her.

*********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

When Regina opened the doors, she found Emma pacing the hallway, nervously wringing her hands, her eyes slightly red.

"It's done. Nothing to worry about, my Swan." The brunette smiled brilliantly.

"Really?" Emma looked skeptical. 

"Yes, really." Regina held her hand out to the girl, smiling when she felt warm fingers entwined only seconds later. "You will need to talk to them again next week, but that should give them sometime to settle down."

"Or get more upset," the blonde interjected, mouth turned down.  
Regina frowned, she didn't like seeing her Swan unhappy.

"Let them get upset, you're here with me, that's all that matters." The Queen pulled the blonde into her embrace. The girl felt so perfect against her, she felt thin arms wrap around her waist. Regina had to force away the urge to overpower the girl and take her right there in the hallway. Taking a deep breath she pushed the girl away from her.

"I don't want them to start a war against you," Emma sighed, disappointed the woman broke the embrace. She was worried, but Regina was intoxicating. Just a glance or caress from the woman could make her forget everything else. 

"They won't, Emma." Regina knew they wouldn't dare after she threatened the well being of the blonde.

"You don't know that for certain. Maybe... Maybe I should go back.." Emma looked at the dark haired woman uncertainly.

"Do you want to go back?" Regina's voice was tight, trying to keep her patience. She couldn't lose the girl now, everything was going so well, but that would be just her luck.

"No, I promise Regina," Emma could see the pain in the older woman's face. "But I don't want you to be hurt because of me." 

"Oh.." Regina let out a sigh of relief. She felt a warmness around her heart knowing that the girl worried for her. It was rather endearing and not something she had encountered much in her life.  
"That's sweet, Emma. But I do know for certain that they won't start a war, or come after you. At least not in the near future." The brunette hoped that would sate the blonde's curiosity.

"How do you know?" Emma wondered if it was magic, or if the woman just thought everything would be alright.

"I just know." The brunette was quickly running out of patience. Of course the girl wasn't going to be happy with that answer, but Regina couldn't very well tell her the truth.

"Please Emma, just trust me?" The older woman caressed the blonde's cheek. The statement was somewhere between an order and a request.

Emma nodded, realizing that she was pushing Regina and this discussion was over. The Queen had only been kind to her since she arrived, well mostly. But something inside told her not to push the woman. 

"Good girl," Regina smiled. Emma didn't know why, but whenever the woman said that it made her heart flutter. It wasn't a sentiment she heard often, and she did so want to please Regina. 

"Why don't I show you around the castle some? If your going to be staying here, you'll need to know where everything is. Unfortunately, I won't be able to spend every waking minute with you, and I don't want you to get bored." Regina almost laughed at the pout on Emma's face.  
"Don't pout, dear. It's unbecoming," she chided, taking the girl's hand.

**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Regina gave the blonde a proper tour of the castle, allowing her almost entirely free reign, which was a first for the older woman. Of course there were a few places Emma was strictly forbidden to go; such as the dungeon, and the room where the Queen kept the hearts of those less fortunate than the blonde. But other than that, Emma was given the keys to the castle.

Sitting, side by side on the large balcony just outside of Regina's bedchambers, the brunette had a small midday snack brought up to them. A thin girl with long auburn hair delivered the silver platter full of fruits and cheeses. Emma noticed, for the first time how much care the Queen's servant girl took to properly displaying the food, and how relieved she seemed to be when Regina dismissed her, with a flippant wave of her hand.

Emma had grown up hearing an array of unflattering stories about the brunette, the Evil Queen. In the time she had spent with the woman, she hadn't seen much that would support these stories. However seeing the way the girl acted gave her some pause. Emma decided to file this observation away for another time.

The blonde turned her attention and her thoughts back to the Regina that she knew. The brunette was carefully studying a piece of fruit, before taking a dainty bite. Emma couldn't help but stare at the woman's mouth, watching as full lips covered the fruit. The blonde's mind traveled to the few times she was lucky enough to have those lips pressed to her own. It seemed Regina was the one to always initiate the kiss, and Emma wondered if it would be well received to take a turn doing the same. She desperately wanted to feel the woman's lips on her own.

Emma wondered what that meant. She did know about the birds and the bees, so to speak, but that was between men and women. Not to mention, her knowledge on that was pretty limited. But this was different. She wasn't even sure if the kisses and the caresses the brunette gave her were just that, or if there was something more behind it. Sometimes it felt like there was much more promise in these actions. But what on earth could Regina see in her? Emma was inexperienced in these things, but she knew that she wanted to do things with the brunette. She wasn't really sure what, but it didn't feel purely friendly. Kissing more seemed like a good start. She debated over waiting until Regina initiated, or just taking matters into her own hands.

"Emma, you do know it's rude to stare. Don't you?" At the woman's words, Emma whipped her head away, embarrassed the woman had caught her.

"What are you thinking about?" Regina asked, trying to hide her amusement as the girl turned crimson.

"Nothing," Emma's reply came a little too quickly.

"Keep your secrets if you wish." The brunette chuckled. Then added, "but whatever it is, I doubt you need be embarrassed." She ran the back of her hand against the girl's hot cheek.

As good as it felt to have Regina touching her, Emma wished she could just disappear at the moment. She felt so awkward and tongue tied, and she still couldn't stop thinking about Regina's lips. The blonde thought she ought to be thinking about her parents and that whole mess, but her mind just kept going back to the older woman.

"You haven't had a bite to eat yet, that doesn't seem like you. Are you alright, dear?" Regina looked at the girl quizzically. She did wonder if the day was taking it's toll on the girl. 

"I guess I'm not very hungry." Emma looked down at the food.

"Are you thinking about your parents?" Regina tucked a stray hair behind the girl's ear.

"N-no, not really," the blonde answered honestly. "I guess I should be," she added, feeling guilty.

"You have nothing to feel guilty for Emma." Regina finally said, the blonde nodded, not sure if that was true. She should be thinking about them, she should be thinking about a lot of things, but all she could think about was the woman next to her.

"Regina?" The blonde finally spoke up, completely unsure of what she would say, even as she spoke.

"Yes, dear?"

"Never mind, it's nothing." Emma's mouth felt suddenly very dry.

"Emma, enough! You have been odd this whole afternoon, I understand it's been a long and trying day. But if you want to say something, then out with it." Regina tried to be patient, but the girl was behaving so strangely, she was starting to worry.

"I was just wondering.." The blonde started, taking a deep breath. "Well, you're always... I mean not always.. But sometimes.. Uh.. You kiss me...and I...I wanted to know if I could do that... I mean if I could...kiss you?" Emma felt like her face was on fire, she knew she was beet red. She felt her heart beating in her chest, and somewhat hoped it would just explode and put her out of her misery.

"You want to kiss me Em-ma?" Regina purred, cupping the girl's chin, and turning her face until they were eye to eye The brunette could feel the girl's breathing increase. She waited for her Swan to respond.  
"Y-yes.." Came the breathless reply.


	7. Part 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thank you for taking the time to read my little story here! I always love reading your comments. I'm so glad people are enjoying this. I sincerely hope this chapter does not disappoint! I will have the next chapter up as soon as I can. Thank you all again!  
> **************************************************

Emma felt paralyzed. Unable to move her eyes away from the brunette's, who held the girl's face in her hands.

"Please?" The blonde added meekly, feeling dizzy.

Regina smiled wickedly. She could get addicted to this, the girl was staring at her with something close to worship. And the Queen did require worship, it was just not usually so freely given to her. And she did love the soft, breathless way the girl's chest was heaving.

Regina wasn't a soft and gentle lover. No, her tastes usually ran a bit darker. The brunette was tempted, thinking about the many different things she could do to the blonde. Some of which she doubted Emma would enjoy at all. A part of her craved to have absolute power over the girl, for her to be utterly at the Queen's mercy. But then she would look at the blonde, really look at her, and she knew that all would be lost if she were to indulge herself. Emma wouldn't look at her in that sweet, trusting way anymore, in fact she doubted the girl would ever meet her eyes again. And Regina didn't want that. Plus didn't she already have absolute power?

"Oh, I do love a girl with manners." The brunette replied huskily, forcing herself to the present.  
"How could I deny you, when you've asked so sweetly?" She purred, running her index finger across the outline of the girl's top. Just brushing her breasts where it dipped slightly. She loved seeing how the blonde's eye's widened and glazed.

Emma swallowed, taking the older woman's question as permission, she leaned in closer, never moving her eyes from Regina's. She placed one hand to the woman's cheek, and the other around her waist. The blonde moved in, slowly parting her lips as she touched the brunette's, instinctively closing her eyes. She could feel her heart thumping. It was possibly the most terrified she had ever been.

As their lips touched, Regina moved her hand into the girl's hair, wrapping her fingers around the golden curls. She parted her mouth, running her tongue against the blonde's pink lips. Emma, always the quick learner did the same to the brunette, cautiously darting her tongue just past full, red lips. Feeling the women's tongue intertwining with her own. Emma thought she could go without oxygen in favor of this.

Regina exercised more patience than she had in years. When the urge arose to completely take the girl, to claim what was hers, she did push it away. Mostly. She knew this was supposed to be Emma's kiss, but the brunette had never been very good at taking the back seat. Even as her mind was telling her to remain slow and gentle, the hand in the girl's hair was already tightening around blonde locks. Before she could stop herself, she pulled the girl's head back, pushing her body to the blonde's, as she wrapped her free hand around the girl's waist, holding her in place.

Emma's breathing became strained and heavy, only encouraging the brunette further. The girl had tightened her hold around the woman, pushing herself against the brunette. Regina nipped at the blonde's bottom lip before consuming her.

The Queen smiled as Emma softly moaned into her mouth. She could feel the girl's heart pounding against her own. Regina took her time exploring the girl, who was so sweet, so responsive and so very willing.

The brunette had to force herself not to become too lost. She began to soften her hold on the girl, slowly breaking the kiss. She ran her tongue across the girl's lips, taking the blonde's bottom lip between her teeth before pressing her mouth to the girl's one last time. Moving her lips away, she planted a soft kiss on the blonde's cheek.

She released her hold on the golden curls, and put her forehead against the girl's, staring in her eyes. The way Emma looked back at her made her want to start the kiss all over again. The girl was breathless, a pink blush covering her skin. Regina thought she felt so pliable in her arms, so very ripe for the picking. She brought her hand to the girls cheek, loving the way the blonde so effortlessly leaned into her touch, it was almost instinctual.

Emma felt like she was free falling. Heart pounding so hard she could feel it in her ears. Being in Regina's embrace was absolute euphoria, and the kiss was everything she wanted, but now she desired more. It was as if her body was aching, she could feel a warm humming rising from her center. She was more confused about everything and suddenly felt very exposed and awkward. She wondered more than ever what Regina could possibly see in her, and what this all meant.

The blonde felt a wave of heat and anxiety wash over her. She desperately wanted to run away, overwhelmed by everything she was feeling. Emma remembered that morning, and how she had transported herself to the dining hall.

If she could just get to her bedchamber, if she could just calm down and gather her thoughts for a few minutes. Closing her eyes, she felt that electric feeling running through her body, imagined her chambers, just across from Regina's.

'Please, please, please,' she thought as she pictured her room.

****************************

'Well, aren't we quite the little minx?' Regina thought to herself, momentarily irritated with the girl, and the blue haze left behind in her wake. The blonde was a quick study, using transmutation on her own. Regina focused on the blonde, their magic still tied. The Queen knew where her Swan was, that wasn't a worry. Concentrating harder, she was able to grasp onto some of the emotions running rampant in the girl. 

Regina frowned, all irritation fading. It had been quite a day for the girl. Using magic, the blonde's idiot parents, the kiss. And the blonde had pleased the Queen in each of those situations. 

'Maybe I shouldn't have teased the girl so..' The brunette thought, although she had been fairly tame considering her past behavior. She tried to remember when she was young and innocent. 

Cora had been controlling and overbearing, not to mention a lot of other things. But Regina had Daniel. He had been so kind, so gentle and reassuring. The Queen wouldn't admit it, didn't even know it fully for herself, but she wanted that for her Swan.

She did enjoy playing the cat and mouse game with the girl, feeling very much the predator. But she did have... Well she had something for the girl.

'A fondness,' she told herself. Already simultaneously scolding herself as she defended her reasons.   
'I deserve nice things,' Regina smiled. Sighing she got up, headed towards the girl's chambers.

*************************

When the Queen approached the doors to the blonde's chambers, she thought, for a brief moment about just using her magic to throw the doors open and expose the girl to her. But then she thought better of it. Her Swan had been so good, and Regina knew everything had overwhelmed the girl. She did want Emma to feel comfortable, and invading her privacy didn't seem the way to achieve that.

"Emma...?" The brunette called softly, knocking at the door. She waited a few minutes before continuing.  
"Please Emma, I know you're in there " she heard a slight rustling.   
"I apologize for whatever I did to upset you.." This finally got the girl's attention, the doors opening before the brunette could finish her sentance.

"You didn't upset me!" It was said earnestly, apologetically, almost desperately. The blonde bit her bottom lip, searching the older woman's face. 

Emma moved back from the doorway, allowing Regina entrance into her chamber.

"I'm sorry.. It wasn't your fault."

"Don't apologize, dear. Today has been quite overwhelming for you. Hasn't it?" Regina put an arm around the girl's waist, as the other combed through her hair.

"Was that.. Was it bad ..what I did?" The blonde questioned nervously.

Regina looked the girl over, suspecting the girl asked several things in the one question. 

"Emma," she started, staring into the girl's eyes. "You are so lovely my Swan, and I find you, and all that you do absolutely perfect." Regina stroked the girl's hair, leading her back until they sat on her bed.

"But my feelings aside, how do you feel? Do you feel bad about the kiss?" The brunette asked with genuine concern. Regina knew the girl had enjoyed it, but who knew what was going on in her mind.

"No, no not at all! I...I liked it a lot.." Emma paused, unconsciously touching her hand to her lips, thinking back to the kiss.  
"I just.. I've never done that before. Not like that, and I didn't know if I did it right. I mean your so.." Emma stopped, blushing as she looked at the older woman.   
She wanted to ask Regina to tell her what all of this meant, but she didn't know how to ask. 

"I just didn't want to disappoint you," she finished. It was a true statement, but there was so much more.

"Oh Emma," Regina pulled the girl into her embrace. It wasn't about plotting or scheming, she wasn't thinking about getting revenge on Snow. She was only thinking about the girl in her arms.

Her very own Swan who was so eager to please. Eager to please the Queen not because she feared her, not because she was enslaved by her in some way, but because of something unknown and unselfish. Something Regina didn't understand, but cherished just the same.

"You are anything but disappointing." Regina whispered into the blonde's ear. Her warm breath tickling the girl's skin.

Emma felt her heart expand, that warm fluttering feeling traveling through her body. It felt like the older woman was caressing some inner broken part of her, mending her very soul. And it felt like something else too, as if the woman was bringing to life something Emma hadn't know was inside of her. She tried to grasp who Regina was, who she was to her. The brunette could be almost maternal towards her, and at the same time nothing like that at all. 

Regina moved her hands to the girl's shoulders, brushing her hair aside. She held the girl out, thinking of how to continue.

"That was your first kiss?" Regina asked, fairly sure of the answer.

"Uhhm.. Like that...yes.." Emma felt herself turning red, but Regina put an arm around her and she felt a little less awkward.

"Sometimes, on the rare occasions I would go to the Palace, my parents would host a Ball. Last time they threw one, I danced with this boy a couple of times. He kissed me." Emma wrinkled her nose at the memory. It had been kind of rough and much too sloppy.

"Oh.." Regina tried to sound casual. Unconsciously her arm tightened around the blonde. She didn't like the idea of someone else with her Swan, let alone some rude, pimple faced, brat with raging hormones.

"It was... Well, to be honest the whole Ball was uncomfortable. I didn't really know anyone, but everyone knew each other... I guess that doesn't sound so bad..."

"I found them rather... dull and awful myself." Regina said almost to herself.

Emma paused, studying the woman. She hadn't really thought about what it may have been like for Regina. She hadn't really thought about the older woman living in the palace at all. The brunette looked lost in thought. 

'Another time, another place,' The blonde thought. And just as suddenly Regina was back with the girl. Before the brunette could scold her for staring, Emma continued.

"Anyway, I didn't like it... When he kissed me I mean. It wasn't even a kiss compared.." Emma stopped. Blushing, she laughed nervously.

Regina couldn't help the predatory grin that swept her face. But to her credit she tried not to enjoy the way the girl blushed. Well, she at least tried to feel bad for enjoying it. And while she had the perfect opportunity to tease the girl, she refrained.

'There will be plenty of other times,' she consoled herself.

"Dinner will be served in a few candle marks. Will you join me again?" Regina had to change the subject before she changed her mind.

"Oh.. Of course.." Emma was confused by the abrupt change, but she was quite good at adapting. 

"Excellent," the brunette smiled. "I have some things to attend to. In the meantime you're welcome to anything my castle has to offer. I'll meet you for dinner."

Emma nodded, vaguely wondering what the Queen needed to attend to.

************************************

Regina sat in one of her many thrones, smiling as she watched the scene in her mirror unfold. Snow looked terrible. Regina didn't know if she was just noticing it, or if it had been from the day's events. Either way, the younger brunette looked old, and wore down. She had lost her dewy glow and appeared almost gaunt.

She wasn't crying, but her face was turned down and her eyes were red. Her husband stood beside her, not looking much better. He looked paler than usual, lines crossing his forehead.

"We have to do something.." James started.

"We can't even talk about this right now!" Snow hissed, looking around as if someone was watching.

"I'm sorry this isn't as easy for me as it is for you!" Charming yelled, throwing his hands up, and stepping away from his wife.

"I can't stand to think of Emma with that....woman," the man continued. "Who knows what sort of things.."

"Stop it!" Snow screamed, putting her hands on her hips.  
"Do you think I want to think about that? Do you think I want any of this?" The woman broke into sobs, James, always the gentleman, was back at her side.

"I'm sorry for yelling," he apologized. "We will get her back. I promise." The man whispered, consoling his wife.  
"No matter what."

Regina rolled her eyes, waving away the images in the mirror. She was happy to see how broken Snow was, she had never seen the woman so bad off. Finally she was getting what was due.

She knew Charming meant what he said, but it would only further her own cause. Those idiots would come for their daughter, eventually. But if Regina played her cards right, by the time they started their futile journey, her Swan would be just that, all hers. Emma would be on her side, and that more than anything would kill Snow.

'It's not as if I'm the one that hurt the girl,' she reminded herself. ' Nor have I turned her against those morons. I'm just teaching her to stand up for herself.'

The brunette smiled. Her red lips spread over her pearl white teeth.

******************************

Emma entered the large library, row after row of books lined the walls from the floor to the ceiling. A large table was placed in the middle of the room, light from the stained glass window danced on the marble top. The blonde eyed the imposing shelves wondering where to start. 

There were so many books, she wondered how Regina had acquired so many. It didn't seem possible to read all of them, even in a lifetime. Then again, Emma had noticed how lonely the castle could be. She didn't imagine the brunette had many friends. The blonde understood that feeling, loneliness. And she knew that books had brought her a good deal of companionship. 

The girl ran her finger across the spines of the books. She recognized some of the titles; some story books, a lot of detailed maps of various kingdoms, famous battle plans. Then there were some that looked very odd to the girl. They stuck out from the others in style and print. 

Emma picked one off the shelf. It was thin, and shiny, almost glossy. It wasn't bound the same way the others were, and the pages were so white, it didn't even feel like the other books. The blonde turned it over in her hands, looking at the cover. 

'All About Maine'

Emma read the title, thinking it was a strange name for a book. She leafed through the glossy pages. The portraits inside were incredibly well done. The blonde had never seen such life like paintings. But the pictures were filled with the most curious things. 

Bizarre carriages without horses, funny looking buildings, and people dressed in the strangest ways. The only thing Emma could recognize as something familiar was the scenery. The woods, the ocean, the beach, but everything else was very odd.

She wondered where this strange book had come from, and why Regina would be interested in such a silly thing. It had to be some sort of fairy tale. Although, she wasn't really sure, it felt important somehow.

Emma noticed it had gotten dark inside the large room. The sun had almost completely set. She was supposed to meet Regina for dinner, and she would be late if she didn't hurry. Glancing at the book one last time, she shut it and hastily stuck it back on the shelf. She would study it more later.


	8. Part 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you thank you thank you, for all the comments and interest in the story! You are all amazing!! This one is a rather short chapter, but I wanted to get something up before the weekend. Also, I know I have some loose ends going on, like Emma finding the book on Maine, but I promise everything will (fingers crossed) come together......eventually.   
> Anyway, here is chapter 8, I apologize that it isn't longer. I do hope you enjoy it, it's a bit more risque than some of the previous ones! As always, I look forward to your feedback, comments, concerns, whatever it may be! And most importantly, thank you for reading!!
> 
> ***************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Having changed for dinner, Regina claimed her seat at the head of the table. Old habits die hard. A deep red velvet dress stretched across her curves, dipping dangerously low at her cleavage, dark hair braided down her back, loose strands framing her face. She was always beautiful, but this was a bit less severe. Although her temper was still very much the same. 

Each second that passed without the blonde, her irritation increased. It wasn't about not knowing where the girl was, but rather respect and the Queen did demand respect. No one kept Regina waiting. Just as the brunette thought about going to retrieve the girl, and at the least, give her a stern talking to, the blonde rushed in.

She was a swirl of loose blonde hair, the skirt of her dress flying about her as she ran into the dining room.

"You're late." Regina's voice was cool, her eyebrow arched. Emma felt a large lump in her throat.

"I.. I know..I'm so sorry... I just.."

"And you're not dressed for dinner." Regina studied the girl from her throne. The blonde looked very small all of a sudden. Crestfallen. The Queen softened at seeing how dejected the girl was at disappointing her.

Regina snapped her fingers, changing the blonde into a blue gown, modest in comparison to her own, but it still managed to showcase the girl's figure. She contemplated fixing the wild blonde hair, but decided to leave it loose. She did so enjoy playing with it.

"Well, let's not make a habit of it." She half smiled at the blonde, tilting her head towards the seat to her right. This was the Queen's way of telling her Swan she wasn't upset. Not really.

Emma smiled, still slightly nervous. She was glad that whatever irritation the brunette had, seemed to be past them. Walking towards her seat she briefly studied the dress Regina had put on her. It was beautiful of course, although she felt slightly self conscious about the way it clung to her body. Last night she had loved when Regina changed her outfit using magic, she didn't know why it felt different tonight. 

'I'll just remember to be dressed correctly next time,' she told herself as she sat down.

"I am really sorry, Regina."

"And you are forgiven, dear. But do tell, what was more important than arriving punctually and appropriately dressed?" It came out colder than the woman had intended.

"Nothing was more important," the blonde ducked her head. "I just lost track of time in the library." Emma squirmed slightly in her seat. 

The brunette sighed. She knew she needed to be more patient. Reaching out, she grabbed the girl's hand, giving her a light squeeze.

"Did you find anything interesting?" Regina asked, mostly to move the subject along.

"Oh.." Emma thought about the strange book she found. Had she been on time for dinner she may have asked, but in light of everything she didn't want to bring about more controversy. And it did seem awfully silly.  
"There were just so many books, I didn't really know where to start. I've never seen so many in one place." The blonde said instead.  
"Have you read them all?"

"No.... Not all of them," the brunette shook her head, as one of her servants, brought out their plates. 

"I do enjoy reading, though, " the woman paused. "It helps pass the time." Emma noticed the sad note to the older woman's voice.

"I read a lot too..." The blonde said, raising her brows in the slightest, hoping Regina caught her meaning. The brunette smiled, softly.

"Have a glass of port with me?" It wasn't quite a request. The brunette could change her mood as quickly as the wind blew.

"Uhhmm....." The blonde shot her brows up, not even trying to hide her bewilderment.

Regina laughed. It was rich, and warm, and soft. 

The older woman leaned in, running her fingers through the girls hair.  
"You deserve to celebrate, Emma." The Queen purred, it was breathy and drawn out.

The blonde managed to silently nod, her eye's glued to the woman's.

"Excellent." Regina beamed, Emma thought she might do anything in the world for the woman to look at her like that. The brunette snapped her fingers in the direction of the servant waiting in the corner.

In the flash of an eye the servant was at Emma's side, goblet in hand. The woman was probably a bit older than Regina, she had mousy brown hair, with a few streaks of grey shining through and pulled into a tight bun. Like the girl earlier in the day, she never made eye contact and she performed her duties and returned to the corner of the room. Emma meant to thank the woman, but she was gone too quickly.

"I believe a toast is in order." The brunette raised her glass towards the girl.

"What are we toasting?" The blonde held her goblet out, a smile tugging her lips.

"You, of course. My Swan." Regina smiled.  
"And, unexpected friendships... And first times." The brunette winked, loving how easily the girl blushed. 

" Oh.." Emma breathed out, feeling a wave of heat wash over her, biting her bottom lip.  
"Yes, I would like to toast to that." The girl finally choked out.

Glasses clinking, they sipped their port. Emma thought she could never tire of staring at this beautiful woman. Despite all the events that transpired that day, her mind just kept going back to the kiss. She desperately wished Regina would kiss her, she wasn't sure if she had the strength to ask again. And she didn't know if she was brave enough to just jump in and kiss the woman.

"What are you thinking about Em-ma?" Regina arched her brow smugly.

"Uhh... Nothing, just the whole day in general." The girl tried to recover, but she knew her blush was giving her away.

"I see.." The brunette nibbled at her food, studying the blonde.

"Do you think... I mean, would you mind teaching me more.. About how to use my magic?" Emma spoke up, wanting to change the subject.

Regina paused, smiling, she looked the girl over.

"Didn't I tell you I would show you anything you wanted?" She said in that husky way that made Emma's body ache and her stomach perform somersaults.

"Y-yes.." The blonde stammered.

"All you have to do is ask.." Emma tried to wrap her head around the double meanings she knew were in the words the woman spoke. She wondered if Regina wanted her to ask about the kiss, if they could do it again, if there were was more.

"But yes, my Swan. I will teach you everything I know about magic. We can start proper lessons tomorrow." Regina mercifully got back on topic.  
"Are you still nervous about learning?" It was a question born out of genuine concern. 

The princess thought for a moment.  
"I am... But I want to know how to control it.. And use it, rather than be afraid of it." The blonde answered truthfully.

"You're a very smart girl." The older woman complimented, giving Emma another smile.

"You were never...scared?" Emma had some trepidation in asking the question, but she wanted to know everything she could about the Queen.

Regina frowned, looking away from the blonde. The question wasn't really that personal, at least it wouldn't seem that way to the girl. Regina, the part of Regina that had survived The Evil Queen, told herself not to be upset with her. And she wanted to answer the girl's question. But she wasn't prepared for the onslaught of memories it brought about. The brunette felt like she couldn't speak.

"Regina.." Emma stared at the woman, she could see some sort of internal battle playing across her face, and she could feel some sort of hopeless dread creeping up her spine.

"I'm sorry for asking that. Please forget I said anything." The blonde didn't know how, but she desperately wanted to console the woman, who was so clearly in pain.

"I was afraid." Regina forced herself to speak, although she didn't recognize her own voice.

"Oh... " Emma wasn't sure what to say. She couldn't imagine the woman afraid of anything. She wondered who taught Regina how to use her magic.

"I was afraid of becoming like my mother." The brunette said finally.

"Your mother used magic?" Emma had never really thought of Regina as having parents or being a child. But of course that was ridiculous.  
She wondered what the brunette's mother had been like, to make her so upset. It seemed the more she learned about the older woman, the more questions she came back with.

"Indeed, she did.. But it's not one of my favorite subjects to speak on." Regina caught control of her emotions and forced a smile, trying to push out the memories of her mother.  
"Especially," she added, running her hand up the girl's arm. "When I have such lovely company." This time her smile was real.

Emma blushed, it only ever took a glance or a caress, or a few words from the woman.

"Oh my Swan, I do wonder if you'll ever stop blushing so?" Regina looked over her glass to see the girl's blush deepen.  
"I hope not." The brunette added.

"I... I don't know what..you mean by that." Emma's voice practically squeaked.

Regina's predatory smile slowly crept over her face, showing her teeth. Looking very much like the cat that ate the canary, she let out a throaty laugh.

"No? Would you like me to show you Emma?" She leaned in towards the blonde. "Remember, what I told you, 'all you have to do is ask'."

Regina had told herself she wasn't going to tease the girl so much. But it was easier said than done. Especially after such an exhilarating day. And her Swan was all blushing innocence, hanging on the Queen's every word, and looking good enough to eat. 

Emma felt her heartbeat increase, she wondered what this woman was doing to her. She wished Regina would be more direct, the woman spoke in riddles and innuendos. The girl did want to ask, she wanted very much to ask, she just wasn't sure what exactly she would be asking for.

"I...don't.. I don't know what..to ask for.." Emma hated the way her voice trembled, and she all of a sudden felt very foolish. Oddly enough, while her mind didn't know how to respond to Regina's insinuations, it seemed her body knew exactly what to do. She felt the fluttering feeling in her stomach and that increasingly more present aching between her legs.

Knowing the girl was at a complete loss, Regina showed some mercy. Before Emma knew it, the brunette was beside her, gently taking her by the elbow and pulling her to her feet. 

She caressed the girl's cheek,  
"I hope you're finished eating, dear." The older woman whispered into the blonde's ear, especially punctuating the last bit. She smiled as she felt the girl shiver.

"I... I am." Emma was hoarse.

Before anything else could be said, Regina pulled her arms around the girl. Blonde and brunette disappearing in a cloud of purple smoke. 

***********************************

As the haze cleared Emma recognized the balcony off of Regina's chambers. Regina was still holding her by her waist, the girl's back to the woman, they gazed out past the castle walls in silence. Emma would have been wondering what to say or do, but Regina's hand began to run down the side of her thigh, back up to her hip. All the while the other hand held her waist, giving her little room to move, or think for that matter. Not that she wanted to break free of the woman. In fact, the girl realized she had unconsciously leaned back into the brunette. As inexperienced as Emma was she did pick up a certain possessiveness about the way Regina held her in place. The blonde thought maybe she shouldn't love that feeling the way she did, but she didn't ponder on it long.

Regina's roaming hand traveled up the girl until she was at the blonde's shoulder. Softly, she pushed the girl's hair to the side, exposing her neck and naked shoulder. Emma felt the woman making soft traces on her skin, without thinking about it, she tilted her head to the side, allowing more room for the brunette.

"Such a good girl." Regina murmured against creamy white skin, her hot breath giving the girl goosebumps. Just hearing the woman's words sent an electric spike through her body. The brunette touched her lips to the girl's neck, kissing her softly, then pressing her teeth in ever so slightly. Encouraged at hearing the girl gasp, and feeling her muscles twitch.

Emma squirmed slightly against the older woman, but Regina's hand around her waist kept her from moving away. It wasn't that she didn't enjoy the attention the woman was giving her, it was just a bit overwhelming.

"Go in my chamber and bring me some port." Regina whispered into the blonde's hair. It wasn't a question.   
"You may have another glass if you so wish, Princess." The brunette purred, slowly, almost regretfully releasing the girl. 

Emma had to catch her balance after being released from the woman's grasp. She felt lightheaded. In a daze, she obediently followed the Queen's orders. Her hands were almost shaking as she brought the two goblets out.

Regina had that feral smile across her face when the blonde reentered the balcony, two glasses in hand.

'So eager to please.' She silently applauded.

The brunette reached out taking her own goblet, she stared at the girl as she sipped her port, debating what her next move would be.

"Sit next to me." She ran her hand down Emma's arm, clasping onto her hand. She was always so pleased with how the girl responded to her. The blonde wrapped her fingers around the woman's and without a second thought followed the brunette towards the outdoor chaise. Regina backed into the chair, practically pulling the girl into her lap.

Emma sat rigid at first, slowly sipping her port, unsure of what was expected of her or what, if anything was going to happen. Brows furrowed she contemplated, taking another sip. She hoped something would happen. The girl could feel the brunette's free hand running up and down her back, occasionally there was the smallest indentation of nails through the fabric of her dress. Just enough to feel pleasurable and terrifying all at once. 

"You aren't afraid of me, are you my Swan?" Regina's husky voice finally breaking the silence.  
The older woman sat her goblet down, running a hand through the blondes curls, while the other wrapped around her waist. Emma leaned into the woman, placing her free hand on top of the woman's arm.

"N-no..." The blonde slowly turned her head towards Regina. So close together, they were practically nose to nose.   
"Maybe a little..." The girl admitted, casting her eyes down.  
"But not for the same reasons that... Well, that some other people are." The blonde added, hoping her statement wasn't offensive.

"No?" Regina's ever ready brow was arched.  
"What are your reasons, Em-ma?" The Queen drawled, tugging the golden locks, slightly.

"I...ugh... You make me.. feel kind of nervous..and... I..." Emma looked up at the brunette pleadingly, unsure of how to articulate her feelings. She wondered if Regina could tell she was blushing, even with such little light.

"It's alright dear." The older woman consoled, she was trying to keep hold of herself. Regina, not The Evil Queen. But it was hard to tell after so many years where Regina stopped and the Queen started.

Regina gently took the goblet out of the blonde's hands and placed it down next to her own.

Closing what little space remained, the brunette placed a hand on the girl's cheek, the other still wrapped about her waist. She could feel Emma's breathing pick up, as she gently placed her lips to the girl's. She was so soft and sweet, and even more responsive. The blonde let out a soft sigh, relaxing a bit in the woman's arms.

Emma parted her lips, allowing the Queen entrance. Unable to stop the moan that escaped her as the woman delved in. The girl wrapped her arms around the brunette, panting against her.

"Such a very good girl." Regina whispered as she broke the kiss, loving the look in the girl's eyes. It was begging and gratitude and awe, all rolled into one.

"Do you know what I want to do with you, I wonder?" The brunette traced her finger across the girl's lips. It was a bit more Evil Queen, than Regina.

Emma shook her head, mouth agape, still panting. Her stomach was doing flip flops and she tried to dispel the aching in her body by squeezing her legs together. Nothing seemed to help. 

"Please... Regina.." The girl panted, not even sure what she was pleading for. 

The Queen arched her brow, it was such a delicious moment, she didn't want to squander it.

"Mmmm... I told you I love good manners, Emma."

She thought of the many ways she would enjoy her Swan. Slowly, she ran her free hand down the girl's side, resting at her hip. Regina had to remind herself to be patient and at least somewhat gentle with the blonde. She could have her fun without pushing the girl too far. 

Emma felt like everything was spinning out of control. She wanted it to stop, and she didn't want it to stop. She felt like she may break out in tears she was so frustrated.

But then, Regina's hand was tangled in her hair, and the woman's lips were on hers again, and Emma knew she didn't want this to stop at all. Even if it was going to kill her, she couldn't think of a better way to die. The older woman tugged her hair, pulling her head back. It wasn't rough, but it left no doubt about who was in control. Regina's mouth traveled down her neck, kissing and nibbling her skin, giving her goosebumps and sending a shiver through her body. Emma couldn't help letting out a soft cry, somewhere between a whimper and a moan.

Regina smiled at hearing the affect she was having on the girl. Kissing along the blonde's collar bone, she loosened the hold she had on her hair. Running her hand through the locks and gently petting her Swan.

"I don't want you to be afraid of me," the statement came out of nowhere, surprising the older woman, even as the words left her mouth.  
"Emma, do you want me to show you...?" Regina held the breathless girl out, hands gripped to her shoulders. She wanted the girl's permission. For the first time, in a long time, she needed it. And deep down she recognized it had nothing to do with her master plan.

Emma managed to nod, emphatically, absolutely terrified and exhilarated.  
"Please.." She whispered, full of want and need, she could feel herself shaking.

"Shhh, it's alright." Regina pulled the girl into her embrace, Emma's arms wrapping tighter around her. The older woman smoothed her hand down the girl's hair, kissing her lightly on the temple.  
"If I do anything... anything that makes you uncomfortable or that you don't enjoy... I... I want you to tell me. Will you promise me you'll do that?"

It was the first time Emma had ever heard the woman sound nervous or insecure. Perhaps because of this, it gave the girl a bit of courage, maybe it was because the blonde's need to console the brunette overrode her nerves. Maybe it was both.

Somehow Emma found the courage to bring her lips to the older woman's. Tentatively, she parted her mouth, running her tongue across Regina's lips. The girl was relieved when she was rewarded for her efforts. The brunette allowed the girl's affection, and returned her own. The kiss was sweet and gentle, falling just past innocent.

"Promise me Emma." Regina whispered, breaking the kiss. It wasn't a request this time.

"I promise," absolute reverence in the girl's words. The blonde stared up at the Queen.

"Thank you." It wasn't something Regina said often, and even now she was barely able to breath it out. 

"Regina.." The blonde started, nervously. "I... I don't know what.."

"I know, dear." The woman petted the girl, "it's alright, I've noticed that you're a fast learner." She smiled, all traces of the brunette's previous worries dissipated. 

"I don't want to..to disappoint you." Emma's brows were drawn, she looked so serious, so concerned, so absolutely dedicated towards the Queen. Regina felt her heart flutter in her chest, she was afraid for a moment that she would burst into tears at the sentiments of the girl.

"You won't." She promised, cupping the girl's face, placing a light kiss on her lips. Gracefully, Regina stood, extending her hand towards the blonde. She helped her out of the chaise. Holding the girl's hand, she led her back into the bedchambers.

The brunette held her hands around the girl's waist. She studied the blushing blonde, momentarily wondering if she should call everything off. But then the girl pushed her body against the woman, wrapping her arms around her. Her Swan was already so worked up, she was panting and Regina could feel the girl's heart pounding, and she had asked so sweetly. 

Regina decided it would be especially cruel to turn the girl away now. She was, after all, trying to build the girl up, she couldn't deny her after the blonde had practically begged the Queen to take her.

"You're so beautiful, my Swan." She whispered into the girl's ear.  
"I want to see all of you." It was between a growl and a purr. The brunette placed her hands on the blonde's hips, pushing the girl away, and holding her out.

Emma stood, obediently waiting for a cue from Regina.

"And such a good girl." She purred, stepping closer and running her hands up the girl's side.  
"Turn around," it was a command, but the woman said it softly. She didn't feel the need to prove her dominance to the girl who was so eager to give whatever her Queen requested.

Of course Emma complied. Waiting patiently for Regina to make the next move. The brunette gathered up the girls hair, taking a moment to enjoy the soft tendrils. Finally she moved the hair to the girl's shoulder and slowly began undoing the ties of the girl's dress.

Regina smiled, noticing the girl tremble slightly. The dress was untied, but still clung to the blonde by her shoulders. The older woman took her time running her hand against the soft skin of the girl, gently pushing the fabric off the girl, until it fell to the floor.

Emma let out a little gasp, crossing her arms around her bare chest. She was more nervous now, standing before the woman in nothing but her underwear, than she had been at her first meeting with Regina. But then she felt the woman's hand traveling down her back, nails lightly scratching her skin. She couldn't help but shiver in excitement, anticipation and sheer ecstasy. 

The blonde moaned when she felt the woman cup her ass with both hands, squeezing slightly. She could feel an odd wetness begin to pool between her legs, and she wondered what Regina was doing to her.

The woman moved closer until there was no room between them. She moved her hands slowly to the girl's abdomen, enjoying the feeling of the blonde's soft, perfect skin. Regina pulled until the girl was leaning against her.

The brunette kissed along the girl's neck, feeling the girl tremble as she dipped her fingers just below the band of the blonde's underwear. She teased, just stopping before she got between the girl's legs. Which, she noticed were tightly clenched together. The blonde was panting now, and Regina wondered if the blonde would collapse if she were to move her hands away.

Slowly, she moved her hands up the girl's stomach, feeling her rapid breathing as she got closer to the blonde's breasts. Regina sunk her teeth into the girl's shoulder. Desperately trying not to be too rough.

To her satisfaction, the brunette was rewarded with a soft whimpering moan. This only encouraged the woman to continue. Her hands finally reached the girl's chest. Emma still had her arms crossed, but when she felt the woman's hands reach her, she let her arms fall to her side. The blonde desperately wanted to give Regina whatever the woman wanted.

"Your such a good girl, my Swan." Regina cooed in the girl's ear as she cupped her breasts, loving the way the girl's nipples hardened in her hands.

Emma couldn't help the moan that escaped her lips. Eyes closed, she let her head fall back against Regina's shoulder, arching her back just slightly. She felt her knees buckling and every nerve in her body was exploding. The girl raised her hands up, placing them on top of the brunette's. She needed the extra support to keep her upright.

"Regina." She moaned, as the woman covered her mouth with her own. The brunette kneaded the girl's breasts as she claimed her mouth. Loving each whimper and moan that escaped the blonde, and the delicious way the girl was squirming.

"Please." The blonde almost whined, when the Queen moved her lips away.

"Mmmmm, patience dear. I plan on thoroughly enjoying you." Regina purred, moving her hands from the girl's chest, back to her sides. She gently took the girl's elbow in one hand, holding firmly, giving a slight tug.

"Turn around Emma. I want to see you."


	9. Part 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so here is part 9. I got quite a bit of... feedback from where I left off on part 8, so I hope this chapter is a bit more satisfying! But honestly thank you all for reading and showing interest in my story here. I always look forward to hearing what you think and I will have the next chapter up as soon as I can!  
> No real cliffhangers in this one, but it is pretty much entirely smut. I hope you all enjoy!! Thanks again!
> 
> ******************************************************************************************************************************

Emma hesitated, she did so want to please Regina, and she felt almost mad with that odd aching need. But this was all terribly nerve wracking. Her mind felt hazy and every part of the girl's body was electric. The whole lot of it was surreal. She wasn't sure her legs were capable of movement. Feeling the brunette tug her arm again, she let out a small whine.

"Emma, you're perfect." Regina's voice was in her ear, soft and encouraging.  
"Please, let me see you." It was even softer this time. Regina was well experienced, but in many ways this was a first for her as well.  
The brunette's mind flashed uncontrollably to memories of her first time. Her wedding night. Other than some heavy petty, she and Daniel never got the chance to be intimate with one another. Regina had been so shy, and nervous, and the king had never been especially patient nor had he been gentle or kind to her. After him, the Queen made sure when she took a lover, she would no longer be the one used, hurt or treated less than compassionately. 

Regina wanted to give Emma what she, herself never had. The brunette was trying, with every decent part left in her, to keep in control and not let the Evil Queen into this sacred space. It was a fine line to walk.

Emma let out a ragged breath, slowly she turned to face the Queen. Her heart was hammering against her chest and her legs felt weak. She still wondered what Regina could possibly see in her. As she turned she brought her arms up, crossing them over her breasts. Biting her bottom lip, anxiously, she flashed her eyes to the brunette's, silently searching for reassurance. 

She felt somehow more naked standing in front of the Queen, who was still fully dressed. It was a vulnerable, humbling sensation. Despite how troubling that feeling was, or perhaps because of it, the throbbing ache between her legs only seemed to increase.

Regina's heart clenched in her chest at the sight of the blonde. The brunette let out a soft sign, trying to grasp on to what patience remained.

"Oh, my Swan... You are too much for words." The woman drawled, making Emma's heart beat faster and giving her enough courage to remain in the room. Closing the space between them, she placed her hands on the girl's hips, pulling their bodies together. She gave the blonde a look that sent shivers down Emma's spine.

The girl was breathtaking, and she had no idea. It wasn't lost on Regina that the blonde was terrified, she could feel her trembling. In a way this pushed the woman further into the depths of desire; that her Swan would be willing to make herself so vulnerable for Regina's own pleasure.

The older woman thought about pulling the blonde's hands back down to her sides, fully exposing the girl, taking everything from her. The Evil Queen wouldn't have thought twice about it. Regina also knew the girl would have let her do it without so much as a protest. The brunette realized that felt utterly wrong; her Swan deserved so much more than that.

Instead, Regina slowly ran her hands from the blonde's hips to the small of the girl's back, lightly fingering the band of her underwear. Finally, Emma, with much trepidation, brought her hands from her breasts, and wrapped them around the older woman's neck, pushing herself against Regina. The blonde's hands shook slightly as they ran back past the woman's shoulder blades, clasping together tightly. 

"Ohh." The brunette purred. It was deep and rich and full of approval, and desire, and something slightly predatory. Regina felt the girl's breasts pressed against her own. The feeling of the blonde so exposed, in her arms, and so very hers for the taking caused her own sex to clench. Her Swan was short of breath, chest heaving, and holding onto the woman, against her, as if for dear life. Emma's short, strained little puffs of breath, warmly tickled the skin of Regina's neck. The brunette almost couldn't keep control.

Regina moved her hands up the girl's back, holding her tightly to help steady the blonde.

"I've got you, Emma." The brunette whispered to the blonde, who had hidden her face against the crook of the woman's neck. Regina could feel the girl's heart beating against her. Beating rapidly and alive, almost like an animal caught in a trap, racing about recklessly.  
"Do you want to stop?" The Queen forced herself to ask, trying to be considerate and patient.

"N-no.." Emma took a deep breath, trying to make her mind work. Gaining some control over herself, she pressed her lips against the brunette's neck, softly moving up to the woman's ear.  
"Please.... Please...don't stop...I'm so.. I've... just...never..." Emma stammered, unable to articulate everything that was overtaking her. The girl softly touched her cheek against Regina's, soft breaths caressing the woman's ear.

"It's alright if your shy, dear." The brunette whispered in the blondes ear, rubbing her hands up and down the girl's back reassuringly.  
"You truly are perfect, my Swan."

Squeezing her legs together, the girl let out a broken sigh, pulling her arms tighter around the Queen, pressing her lips softly against the woman's jawline, placing soft kisses as she moved down her neck to her collar bone and back up.  
"Regina...." It was whispered pleadingly, low and raw and reverent.

Regina moaned, wrapping her fingers tightly into the girl's thick curls. This was all the consent the brunette needed to continue her affections. The hand in Emma's hair tightened, softly she tugged back. Pure delight running through her body as the girl obediently followed her silent command. Emma tilted her head back, giving Regina access to her neck and the top of her pale breasts. The older woman rewarded the girl by placing her thick lips gently against the blonde's.  
"You're so good, my Swan." The woman murmured huskily, kissing and biting her way down the girl's neck.

The Queen ran her free hand along the girl's spine, dragging her nails as she traveled down. The blonde's eye's were wide and dilated, she was making occasional soft whimpering sounds, withering against the brunette. Regina's hand reached the top of the girl's underwear, slipping her hand under the fabric, she grabbed onto the girl's soft bare bottom. She squeezed the blonde, loving the sounds her Swan was rewarding her with.

"Please..." The girl panted, rubbing her body against Regina. She could feel her nipples harden against the material of the Queen's dress. Every nerve on edge, she felt like her skin was on fire. The throbbing between her legs had gotten so bad she felt the embarrassing urge to rub against something. The blonde felt herself flush, just thinking about that. 

"Oh yes, dear." Regina purred, still holding the girl's ass. She loved the way she could feel the blonde's muscles twitching.  
"But not just yet," she teased, leaning down to nibble Emma's delicate collar bone. Slowly she moved to the girl's chest, kissing the top of her breasts softly. Smiling as she heard the blonde gasp and felt nails dig into her back.  
"You're so beautiful, Emma." Regina kissed up the girl's neck, feeling her heart pounding under the blonde's skin. Reaching Emma's face, the brunette covered the girl's mouth with her own, pushing her lips back. The blonde responded instinctively, moaning into the woman's mouth as Regina carefully took the girl's tongue between her teeth, sucking gently, then moving to soft lips, devouring all of the girl. 

Emma's reactions were only furthering the Queen's desires. The girl was so wonderfully worked up, all her muscles dancing and twitching under her skin. Pleading moans and whimpers escaping her mouth, fervently kissing Regina every chance she got, holding onto her so tightly it almost hurt. 

Regina moved her hands to the girl's hips, pushing her back towards the plush bed. Moving back with the blonde, using her body to force the girl backwards. Step by step they moved closer. Lips never parting from one another, tongues intertwined, teeth crashing against the other. As they neared the bed Regina forced her leg between the blonde's bringing her knee up to the girl's hot center. Emma jerked at the contact, breaking the kiss to let out a surprised gasp. The blonde could feel the edge of the bed behind her. Regina gave another push, rubbing her knee against the girl's sex, receiving another lovely moan from the girl. Emma let her legs bend, sitting down onto the bed panting.

It was a relief to be off her feet, which she didn't trust to hold her at the moment. She looked up at Regina, who stood above her, looking at her in a way that sent her heart racing. The girl was still self conscious about being so exposed, but Regina had her so worked up it wasn't the most important thing in her mind. She did desperately want to see the brunette though, see all of her, feel her skin to skin.

"Please Regina.." Emma reached her hand up to the woman, tracing her hand down the fabric of the dress. "Can I...can I see you, please?"

Regina ran her hand against the girl's face. She loved the way the blonde was looking up at her, she couldn't remember anyone ever looking at her like that. The girl's hair hung in front of her, over her perky breasts, she was still panting her chest moving up and down with each breath. And the way she was looking at the Queen with such absolute devotion and worship made the brunette's stomach do somersaults.

With a flick of her wrist, Regina's clothes fell to the ground, pooling at her feet. Smiling as she heard the girl let out a small sigh.

"You're so..Regina you're so beautiful." It was said so softly, the brunette wasn't sure it was meant to be heard aloud. It was genuine and full of awe, and terribly sweet.

The Queen wasted no time crouching over the girl, slipping her hands past the fabric of the girl's underwear and swiftly pulling down. She was pleased to see the girl lift her bottom, making the process of removing the blonde's last garment so much easier.

Emma raised her hands, placing them upon the smooth skin of the brunette's shoulders. She tried to stand again, wanting to feel her body against the Queen's, wanting to press her lips to the woman's. But Regina had other plans.

She held her knee against the girl's exposed sex. Pushing the girl back, she was pleased to feel the blonde was already wet, and so very hot. Emma whimpered at the sensation, it had given her just a moments reprieve from the aching in her groin.

Her body took over, and before the blonde could stop herself, she raised her pelvis, grinding her sex against the older woman's leg. The brief moment before Emma realized what she was doing was absolute heaven. Her hands still on Regina's smooth shoulders, she leaned in towards the woman, parting her lips and moaning appreciatively.

Quickly, the realization of what she had done dawned upon her. She felt her body flush, she was horrified she had done something so vulgar. Surely Regina would think there was something wrong with her. Brows drawn, she let out a strangled little gasp, moving her hands behind her and pushing against the bed she tried to move back, away from the brunette.

"I'm sorry.. I...." Emma was stammering, breathlessly. Regina let out a soft laugh, but quickly stopped herself, leaning down, crouching over the girl and kissing her lips softly, reassuringly. She kept her leg between the girl's, and wrapped a hand around her back to keep her from moving away. Bodies pressed together, skin to skin, she could feel the girl's breasts against her own.

"Shhh, it's alright. Don't be ashamed, Emma. I want you to do that." The brunette whispered, trying to convince the girl her actions had not been unwanted or unnatural. Emma rested her head against the woman's shoulder, still mortified.

Regina moved her hands, holding the girl's face, kissing her cheeks, and her lips over and over until she felt the blonde begin to respond again.

"It's alright, my Swan," the brunette whispered. She moved further onto the bed, forcing Emma to lean back.  
Regina reached her hand around the girl's bottom, squeezing her ass, the blonde moaning into her skin and placing soft kisses along her neck and shoulders. The brunette brought her knee against the girl's sex again, slightly harder. She held her there, pushing the blonde's bottom up, encouraging the girl to grind herself against her leg.

"Does that feel good?" She whispered to the blonde, already knowing the answer, by the girl's frenzied breath and needy whimpers.

"Y-yes.." Emma choked out, leaning her head back. She brought her hands up to the woman's sides, running her hands up and down her smooth curves. Regina was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen, the girl still couldn't believe this was happening.

"Good. I want to make you feel good, Em-ma." Regina purred, squeezing the girl's ass again. Emma caught on quickly, raising herself to the woman's leg and pushing herself against the brunette. Emma found the act slightly wrong, slightly lewd and definitely unladylike. Yet at the same time it felt so right, so good, a brief relief. Knowing that it turned the brunette on, even if it was slightly humiliating, made her want it even more. Regina pushed hard against the contact, she could feel the girl's moisture on her leg.

"Good girl, such a good girl, my Swan." She encouraged softly. These words always did something to Emma. It was soothing and reassuring and in this situation, somewhat deliciously perverse.  
The blonde arched her back, thrusting harder against the woman's leg. She let out a ragged moan, bringing her hands up to Regina's wonderfully full breasts.

Emma heard the low moan that escaped the brunette. It was exciting and the knowledge that she was the one to bring pleasure to the Queen, only worked her up further. She felt Regina lower her self down onto her leg, pressing her hot center against the blonde. Emma couldn't believe how good it felt, on instinct, she brought her leg up, thrusting against the woman's sex.

Regina brought her mouth to the girl's ear, letting out a growl.  
"I knew you were a quick study." She moaned approvingly. Her hands moving to the girl's pert breasts, kneading the tender flesh.

Regina loved the way the girl arched, grinding herself against the woman. Emma was panting and rhythmically thrusting beneath her.

"Ohh." The blonde gasped, unable to form intelligible words. Her hands were running rapidly over the older woman's body. She was so smooth and firm and curvy and Emma couldn't get enough of her. She could feel the woman's wet, warm center sliding across her leg, gaining a vague understanding of something she couldn't yet put to words.

Regina felt her patience begin to slip away. There was so much she wanted to do to her Swan. The girl was a complete novice, but she was a fast learner, and what she lacked in experience, she made up for with enthusiasm. The brunette had never felt dedication comparable to what the blonde was offering her. Despite all of her past experiences, the older woman found them quite pale in comparison to the events of this evening. 

The Queen had her mouth back over the girl's, who was so eager to accept. She took a few moments to enjoy the blonde's lips before trailing down her neck. Each time the woman would sink her teeth into the girl, she would be rewarded with the sweetest yelps and moans, from the girl. Regina traveled further, cupping the girl's breast and gently kissing around her nipple.

She heard the blonde gasp, and felt her hand in her hair, tangling into her braid. The girl was hot to the touch, almost fevered, and moving under the brunette in the most encouraging of ways. Regina opened her mouth, scraping her teeth across the hard, pink nipple, then biting down around the tender area.

"Ohh.. Regina.." It was frenzied and breathless and pleading. Emma had her back arched, grinding and thrusting against the brunette's leg. Every nerve on pins and needles. She felt crazed. She could only manage to whimper and moan and hope Regina would relieve her of these frustrating feelings.

The brunette shifted slightly, moving her leg away from the girl's center. Regina smiled, hearing the girl whine at the absence.  
"Don't pout princess. Good things come to those who wait." She teased, kissing the girl's other breast. As the brunette listened to the lovely little noises her Swan was making, her hand traveled down the girl's side, playing across her abdomen and brushing the girl's sex. Emma's body responded, overriding the girl's brain. She thrust herself towards the woman's hand, begging for contact.

"Mmmm....so very good." The Queen murmured in the blonde's ear. She ran her hand across the girl's mound, not yet making contact with her most sensitive area. She could feel every muscle, every nerve twitching and begging within the girl. Bringing her lips to the girl's she kissed her softly, gently, as her hand ran across her moist folds. Emma was shaking beneath her, raising her hips and making soft pleading noises.

Regina guided one of the girl's hands to her own breast, the blonde quickly taking the lead and eagerly kneading the woman. The blonde moved her other hand to the woman's opposite breast. Using her fingers, the brunette gently parted the girl's sex, running her fingers along her soft, wet lips until she found the blonde's swollen clit.

Regina let out a low throaty sound, somewhere between a moan and a growl. Simultaneously, Emma bucked her hips against the older woman. Her face deliciously scrunched with need, she let out something close to a shriek. Gasping and breathless and utterly shocked. She had no idea it was possible to feel like this.

Regina continued concentrating on the girl's sensitive nub, slowly drawing circles over her.  
"You feel absolutely exquisite, Emma." She purred. It was true, Regina loved how ripe and wet and ready the blonde was for her.

"Oh...please... Regina...please.." Her Swan was begging beneath her, withering and practically in tears. For some reason this touched something deep inside the older woman. Sexually, it excited her further, but it was something more than that.

Regina placed soft kisses over the girl's face, reassuring her. The Queen felt something warm washing over her. Something warm and soft and unbelievably comforting. Clearing her throat, trying to focus, she brought the girl's hand down to her own center. Her other hand still massaging the blonde's soaked folds, she encouraged the girl to touch her. She knew Emma was close and she wanted them to finish this together.  
Emma's heart fluttered at the invitation to touch the brunette. She wanted so badly to bring Regina pleasure, more so than she even wanted it for herself. As hard as it was, she tried to concentrate on this task. 

Regina felt wonderful. Emma couldn't believe she had this affect on the Queen. She felt wet and needy and absolutely divine. Cautiously, the blonde found the woman's clit, copying the older woman's actions, she circled her, loving how wet and slick the woman felt.

Regina twitched, moaning with approval, making Emma's heart flutter. Carefully, almost ceremoniously, she pushed a finger into the girl. The blonde tensed for a moment, gasping and going rigid. She was so tight, Regina didn't want to hurt her. Slowly, she circled the girl's clit with her thumb, feeling her muscles jump beneath her. Gently she moved her finger in and out of the blonde until she felt her relax a bit. Adding another finger into the girl, continuing to rub her swollen nub, the blonde accepted the intruder, clenching her muscles around the woman's fingers. Moaning softly, the girl raised her hips towards Regina as if an offering.

"Ohh yes..Emma." Regina breathed raggedly. The girl twitched and bucked and panted beneath her. The brunette felt the girl move her fingers to her own opening, looking up at the Queen, silently asking for permission.  
"Yes, Emma..touch me inside." Regina breathlessly consented, tightening her muscles around the girl's fingers as they entered her. The blonde gasped, both at the sensation of touching the woman, as well as at what was being done to her.

Emma was trying to learn from the brunette, copying her movements on the woman. She pushed further into her, loving how Regina moaned because of her actions. She slowly circled the woman's clit as she pushed in and out of her.

The Queen cautioned herself against pushing the girl to far, just dipping her fingers in enough to give the girl an idea. They had so much time for other activities, this was just the beginning. Regina continued to circle the girl's clit, giving the occasional soft pinch or flick. She loved feeling the girl jump under her touch.

Emma was so close, the brunette could feel it. The girl was practically thrashing about, whimpering and whining and begging for release. Regina slowed down just a bit, giving herself time to catch up with the blonde.

Emma didn't need to be told, as Regina slowed down the blonde continued her attention on the woman. Finding a rhythm she pushed in and out of her, rubbing her thumb against her most sensitive spot.

Regina's breath became ragged and heavy, her free hand tugging and pulling the girl's hair.  
"Oh... Yes." She hissed in the blonde's ear. The brunette picked up the speed between the girl's legs. Her Swan responding quickly, eagerly. The two thrusting against each other.

"Please... Please... Regina.. Please." Emma began repeating, begging the Queen for release. It sounded like a prayer. Her clit was hard and twitching beneath the brunette's touch, her hips thrusting and she was panting. Regina was so close to climaxing, past close. She was just waiting for the blonde.

"Yes, my Swan. You feel so good. Come for me, Emma." The Queen encouraged shakily, on the edge of her own orgasm. The blonde was quivering beneath her, all of her muscles tightening at the sound of the woman's voice.

Emma felt like she was exploding from head to toe. She threw her head back, letting out a scream or a moan, or something between the two. Every muscle in her body tensing as she came. The blonde couldn't believe what the woman had done to her, what she had made her body do. She wondered if that was normal, or if the brunette had used magic somehow.

Feeling the girl finish under her, Regina let herself climax, releasing a deep moan as she came on top of the girl, her sex twitching in satisfaction. She had to take a minute to recover, panting and gasping for air herself. The brunet had plenty of experience, even plenty of mind blow sex, but this was nothing like that. This had been intimate and raw and not at all innocent, but somehow that's exactly what it was.

Emma was gasping for air, making the soft mewling sounds, that Regina loved so much. She wrapped her arms around the brunette's waist, pressing her face in the crook of the woman's neck. Still unable to speak, her heart pounding.

"Such a very good girl." Regina cooed, breathlessly into the girl's ear, regaining some control. Stroking the side of her face and hair as the girl came down from the climax. Her Swan was still twitching and panting against her. Regina moved onto her side, propping her head up with her hand, admiring the lovely creature beside her. The brunette felt her heart fluttering as she started at the blonde girl beside her. 

Regina ran her hand down the girl's side, cooing in her ear. She wasn't sure if the blonde was just overwhelmed or if something was wrong.  
"Emma.. Look at me Emma." The brunette whispered to the girl, who slowly moved her head away from the woman's neck. Regina smiled, just barely able to make out the expression on the blonde's face.  
Emma looked at her in with absolute awe, worship even, it went beyond words, but it felt almost religious. Regina felt her heart clench.  
"Are you alright dear?" The brunette wanted to take every care with the girl. She caressed the blonde's face, which was flushed. Regina wondered if the girl was blushing or just still worked up from earlier. The brunette waited, Emma trying to catch her breath, still staring at her in that worshipful way. Finally the girl nodded.

"What did you do to me? I mean....was that...magic?" Emma finally chocked out, looking at Regina in awe.

The brunette couldn't help letting out a chuckle. The girl was so sweet. She wrapped her arms around the girl, pulling her close, the skin of their bodies rubbing against one another. She thought about the girl's question. It had been magical.

"I've never thought about it like that before." She brought Emma's face to her own, gently kissing her, then running a finger over her lips. The blonde was still flushed, Regina imagined she may still be blushing.  
"It wasn't the same sort of magic you and I wield, but I suppose it is it's own sort of magic."

Emma nodded, not sure what to say. She just wanted to bask in this feeling. Both of their bodies rubbing against one another, legs intertwined, she felt euphoric. She could have thought about a hundred things, and she did have a hundred questions, but none of that seemed important. Nothing could be more important than laying next to this truly magical woman.

"Thank you Regina." Emma blurted out of nowhere, sounding so sincere. The blonde moved up, her breasts rubbing against the woman's, giving her a wonderful little shiver, as she kissed the woman's lips.

"Oh we're just getting started, dear." Regina's statement was full of promise. The brunette wrapped her arms around the girl, enjoying the way their bodies felt together.  
"But I think you need some rest for tonight, wouldn't you agree?" Emma's eyes were already closed, her head against the brunette's shoulder. The blonde nodded, feeling more content than she could ever remember.

Regina idly stroked the girl's arm, feeling herself close to slumber.  
"Emma?" She moved her hands into the girl's hair, tugging slightly.

"Yes?" The blonde's eyes flashed open looking up at this woman, who, she realized she would do anything for.

"You do know that your my Swan, don't you?" The Queen had her brow arched, looking down at the blonde absolute seriousness on her face. The question made Emma feel weird, conflicted. It made her start to throb again, just a bit. And she really loved the feeling of belonging, the fact that Regina deemed her worthy of this was even better. Still, there was something about the question that troubled the blonde. But she did desperately want to please the brunette.

"Yes, Regina... I know." Emma whispered, still not entirely sure what this meant for her, but it seemed to please the older woman greatly. 

"Good girl." Regina cooed, feeling the girl shiver at her words. She pressed her lips to the girl's one last time, before flicking her wrist and pulling the blankets over them.


	10. Part 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally! Chapter 10! I am so sorry it took me so long to get this up here. I actually had just about finished this chapter, then I decided I hated it and deleted everything, so I had to start all over again. Between that, social obligations and being woefully employed in retail hell, it took a little longer than I would have liked. Hopefully I will have 11 up in less time than this chapter took me.
> 
> As always, THANK YOU for reading and leaving comments. I absolutely love hearing what you think about the story, so please don't hesitate!
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter!
> 
> ******************************************************************************************************************************************************

Regina woke off and on throughout the night. It should have been a peaceful sleep, but her mind was restless. Unwelcome thoughts and memories plagued her. The brunette looked at the sleeping blonde, grateful to have her Swan wrapped up around her, providing a comfort she didn't think she would ever know. She frowned.  
'A comfort I really don't deserve.' She thought to herself, looking at the girl in the pale moon light. 

"Emma, if only you knew what I was capable of... I doubt you would be sleeping so peacefully." She said it out loud, although of course Emma didn't hear the woman.

Regina thought about Snow, remembering the reason the blonde was there to begin with. Memories played through her mind. Snow's selfishness and carelessness. Spending years watching her grow up, biting her tongue while the King indulged the girl's every whim. Her years at the palace, and horrible marriage. Feeling as if she was little more than a well dressed slave to the King and Princess. And yet here she was, laying next to the woman's daughter. The kings granddaughter.

Her brow creased pondering on the tangled relationships. 

'Well I suppose things have come full circle.' She thought to herself, humorlessly.  
Snow had taken Daniel from her; and now Regina had the woman's daughter. The King had taken Regina's innocence; and now she had taken his granddaughter's. 

'But that's not really true. The girl begged me to take her, and I didn't hurt her.' Regina consoled herself. Still, there was a perverse pleasure she received at the thought of it all. Even if it was rather incestuous. 

The brunette sighed, conflicted by her thoughts. That night had possibly been one of the best of her life. The Queen wondered how many times she had squandered the opportunity to have something like this. Although, she doubted anyone could ever compare to her Emma. 

It wasn't that the girl was an expert in the bedchambers, far from it. Regina had taken far more skilled lovers before, but none that looked at her the way the blonde did. At times Emma would look at her with so much gratitude, and awe, and something the Queen vaguely remembered but couldn't put a name to, it felt so good it hurt. It made her heart ache, and it scared her. Really scared her. 

Regina thought of a handmaiden she had years ago. The King had given the girl to her when they married. The brunette couldn't remember the girl's name anymore, but she was a lovely, sweet girl. Like Emma, but much more experienced in the ways of the world. 

The girl had been Regina's first sapphic experience. The brunette thought back to that first night when the maid came to attend to her in the usual manner. The girl had found her mistress in distress. That was before Regina became the Evil Queen, then she was just a sad, powerless girl, who happened to be married to a king. One thing had quickly led to another, and soon the brunette had a whole new world opened up to her. 

She tried to remember the girl's name, but it was useless. She did, however, remember that as time went on, as she became more and more upset with her life, the maid served as someone to lash out at. Someone she could unload all of her pain on. She remembered having the girl on her knees, crying and begging for the Queen's mercy.  
For the first time since becoming the Evil Queen, Regina couldn't find justification in her actions towards that poor girl. 

As much as she didn't want to picture it, her mind conjured up an image of Emma. Her Swan naked and bound and begging. She shook her head, frantically trying to get rid of the image. It made her sick to think about, yet she felt the muscles in her groin tightening at the thought. Which only made her more disgusted with herself.

The brunette told herself she didn't need that, not with Emma. She thought back over the events of the night, desperately needing something sweet and tender to grasp onto. Her Swan had been so perfect. So eager and enthusiastic to please the Queen. So responsive and warm to Regina's touch. And the girl had begged her. As much as she wished it wasn't so, the brunette thoroughly enjoyed that, and she didn't hurt the blonde, or even have to ask in order to get it.  
Still, it wasn't the same. 

'No. It's better than the same.' Regina told herself, looking at the pretty blonde next to her. She wished she could relax and enjoy this time with her Swan, but her mind would not permit it. She had to get up, get out of the presence of the girl. Just for a while. She needed to clear her head.

"I'm not going to hurt you." She whispered to the sleeping girl, but it was meant for herself. Softly, not to wake the blonde, she placed a kiss on the girl's forehead, and carefully slipped out of bed. Regina took a moment to appreciate the beautiful creature in her bed, covers pulled haphazardly, exposing all of the girl's loveliness. Flicking her wrist, she covered the girl with a modest nightgown and turned her back, heading towards her own bath chamber.

***********************************

When Emma opened her eyes the sun was already hanging high, rays of light filling the cool room. The spot Regina had occupied was mysteriously empty. Emma furrowed her brow, disappointed the woman was gone. The blonde had slept late into the day, but some how found herself still exhausted. She tried to gather her thoughts. It felt like more had happened in the past few days, than in her entire life. 

Forefront in her mind, were the events of the previous evening. Instantly she could feel her nerves come allive at the thought. Her stomach fluttered and she felt that aching between her legs again. She could feel herself blushing even now. 

Emma still couldn't believe Regina did those things to her, or for that matter that she had done those things to Regina. She had no idea her body was capable of feeling so good, and while she felt greedy admitting it to herself, she still wanted more. It had been nerve wracking and at times she had felt awkward, but it had been really wonderful too. And she had felt so cared for, so special to the Queen. That feeling alone made Emma's heart flutter.

She thought about Regina's last words to her, before falling asleep. 

'You do know that you're my Swan..,' Emma had told the woman yes, but she still didn't entirely understand what that meant. Specifically what that entailed. Or again, why Regina wanted her at all. In a way, she loved when the brunette called her, 'her's', it felt warm and comforting. She had yearned to belong somewhere, to someone for so long, yet at the same time, it scared the girl a little. As if she was getting into something she couldn't handle or quite understand. 

And the question of 'why' kept screaming in her head. She knew Regina hated her family. Vaguely, she thought she knew the reason why. Her mother hadn't kept a secret for Regina. So the woman had dedicated her life to destroying Snow's happiness, and now she had taken in her enemy's daughter.

Emma wasn't stupid, naive perhaps, but not stupid. It wasn't lost on her that Regina must derive some pleasure in knowing that Snow was unhappy with this arrangement. Her mother would be even less happy to know what had recently transpired between her daughter and the Evil Queen. 

A part of Emma felt slightly guilty, even in the best of situations, she doubted her parents would be thrilled that she had gone to bed with another female. Until last night Emma didn't even know that was a possibility. She supposed this was just another thing that made her different from everyone else, and yet another way she had let her parents down. 

The blonde thought she should feel some loyalty towards her parents, her mother in particular. But it was hard. She knew they cared for her, yet they didn't make her feel cared for or special the way Regina did. They never made her feel as if she was theirs, again, not the way Regina did. Emma found herself much more concerned with knowing that Regina had more interest in her than simply who she was, or rather who her family was. The girl could feel a lump forming in her throat at the thought of Regina pretending to care for her, in order to hurt Snow. 

Emma tried to swallow the lump in her throat. She promised herself she would ask the brunette about at least some of her worries today. She had to, it just kept her in a state of constant uneasiness not knowing for certain. 

She wondered where Regina was. Why she had left her alone after the night they shared. Perhaps it was because she really didn't matter to the Queen. Or maybe she had done something wrong, that was always very likely. Emma felt a sudden stinging in her eyes. She tried keeping her tears from falling as she pushed herself out of bed, not exactly sure what she was doing or where she was going. 

***********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Regina dismounted her black steed, leading him into the stable. The ride and fresh air had helped to clear her head, at least somewhat. Usually, the brunette would see to her horse on her own, but alarms were sounding off in her head. It was Emma. The girl was awake, but there was something else causing the Queen to worry, and if there was one thing Regina hated, it was not knowing. She all but threw the reigns of the horse at the stable boy, before disappearing in a cloud of purple smoke.

*************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Emma had taken to wondering the halls after leaving Regina's chambers. Having been so upset she hadn't bothered to dress, other than the nightgown Regina must have magically put on her. Still barefoot, she padded across the cold stone. Without the brunette with her, the castle seemed entirely too large, and terribly lonely. She wondered where the servants were, anyone she could ask regarding Regina's whereabouts. She wondered if they just appeared when the Queen summoned them, because there was no one insight.

Finally, near the dining hall someone called out to her.

"Princess." Emma heard a deep voice and turned around to see a man, a bit older than her, a bit younger than Regina. He was tall, and handsome, with a neat beard. 

"Oh, finally!" The blonde exclaimed, "Hello.. " 

"Her Majesty will not be pleased to see you out in such a state of undress, princess." The man cut her off, his voice low as if he was warning the girl.

"Oh.." Emma felt herself blush, crossing her arms over her chest.  
"Well, I was looking for her... Do you know where she is?" 

"It's really best not to make a habit of keeping track of her Majesty's whereabouts. When she wants you, she'll call for you." The man stared at her, making the blonde feel a bit uneasy. Emma frowned, she didn't like what he had said to her, and she liked the thought of waiting for Regina to come pick her up off the shelf even less. 

"Oh..." The girl started, not sure what to say.  
"I'm Emma... Who are you?" She finally asked.

"I know who you are Princess," the man continued to stare, his eyes almost lifeless except for the sadness that consumed them.  
Before he could continue there was the sound of quickly paced steps on the stone. 

Both Emma and the man turned to see Regina storming down the hall. Emma felt her heart beat pick up. The brunette looked like the Evil Queen the girl had always been warned about. It wasn't her outfit, or her hair or her make up. It was the look on her face, the mad look in her eyes. Emma almost had the urge to kneel, in hopes it would appease the woman. 

"Regina.. " the girl started, feeling the need to explain.

"Who he is, or who you are, is of no concern to either one of you!" The Queen snapped, snatching Emma by her elbow as she reached the girl. She spun the blonde around, surprising Emma with the force in which the woman used on her.

"What are you doing dressed like this?" Regina practically shrieked at the blonde, shaking her by the arm and pulling her back in the direction of the bedchambers. Emma stumbled and tripped behind the woman. Good God, the brunette was angry. All of the work spent clearing her head was undone. She felt inclined to slap the girl for being so oblivious and naive, and she wanted to kill the huntsman for even looking at her Swan.  
"I gave you a wardrobe full of beautiful dresses, and you're out here like this! Were you not taught any common decency?" Regina's tone was so accusatory. So judgmental and cruel. 

"Regina.. I.." Emma tried to speak up, but was quickly cut off. 

"It's You're Majesty!" She hissed, wishing instantly that she hadn't said it. She felt the girl stop. Emma looked at her as if the Queen had slapped her. Regina could see the emotions as they crossed the blonde's face, there were so many, but fear and hurt were the most recognizable. 

"Well, you're hurting me, Your Majesty!" Emma spat, defiantly, snatching her arm back from the older woman's tight grasp. She wanted to cry, but she held back her tears raising her chin, trying to meet the older woman's gaze. Regina's grasp had been tight, and it had hurt, but it was the woman's words that really upset the blonde. Especially after how close and special she had felt just the previous evening.

The way Emma was looking at her made Regina's heart tighten, and not in that terrifyingly wonderful way. The girl wasn't looking at her with eyes full of worship, she was looking at her with unshed tears in her eyes. She was looking at her the way everyone else does. She looked so hurt.

"Emma..." The brunette started, not sure how to compensate for everything that had just transpired. She wasn't accustomed to apologizing. And the woman was still angry. Not in the way she had been moments ago, but there was a rage still present.  
"Emma..." She tried again, reaching her hand to the girl's face, but to her dismay the blonde leaned back from her touch.  
"Please, Emma. I lost my temper." Regina looked down at the girl's arm. She could see the finger marks where she had grabbed the blonde. It made her wince, in such a short time she had already done what she had promised not to. 

"I'm so sorry, Emma." The Queen's voice was quiet, the blonde heard the strain and brokenness in the woman's voice. Emma looked down, she didn't like hearing Regina's voice sound so small, so desperate. But she didn't like the Evil Queen either, she hadn't seen the woman like that before, and it unnerved her, actually frightened her. Until now, the blonde hadn't truly believed Regina to be capable of all she was claimed to be.

Regina reached her hand out, slowly, gently she took the blonde's arm. The woman hated feeling the girl flinch beneath her touch. She hated herself for it. 

Emma watched cautiously as the Queen took her arm, sliding her finger across the area she had gripped so hard minutes earlier. There was a soft purple spark, and a tingling sensation. The pain hadn't been that bad, especially not compared to the things that were said, but the dull ache and red finger marks disappeared under Regina's touch.

"Is that better?" The brunette asked, her voice tight. Emma looked up at her, finally meeting her gaze. She looked like Regina again. That mad gleam in her eyes was gone, instead there was fear and sadness. 

"So is that how it works? I'm supposed to just magically forget?" Emma thought better of saying it once it left her mouth, but by then it was too late. She didn't want to fight with the brunette, and not just because Regina was stronger. She wanted to go back to last night, when she felt loved and cared for. But the girl was still so angry and hurt. 

Regina clenched and unclenched her fists, mentally counting to ten. She, Regina, didn't blame the girl for being upset, but the Evil Queen certainly felt differently. There was a war going on inside of the brunette.

"No, Emma. If I wanted to make you forget it happened I could do that." The blonde furrowed her brows. She couldn't quite tell if it was her Regina speaking or the Evil Queen. And she really didn't like the idea of having her memory erased at someone's whim.

"I trust you know how to find your way back to your bedchamber." Regina was looking down, her voice heavy with emotion, even if her words were overly formal. 

"I'm sure you would like some time away from my company, but if you wish to see me, I will be in the solarium." The brunette turned and walked away, looking more like a lost little girl, herself, than an Evil Queen.

Emma wanted to run after her. Wrap her arms around the woman and tell her she wasn't upset, that wanting Regina's company is the very thing that started this whole mess. But she was still angry. Angry and utterly confused. She couldn't believe that the woman she had slept with last night, could be the same woman that manhandled her this afternoon. 

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Regina sat on an oversized chaise inside the large glass room. Sun pouring in through the windowed walls. Her eyes were red rimmed from crying. In hindsight she didn't know why she had behaved the way she did. Yes, she was upset Emma was talking to the Huntsman, and that the girl was only in such a thin garment, but she had the Huntsman's heart, and she knew nothing could or would have happened. She was in control, until she let her temper get the best of her. She tried to prepare herself for what she was sure would happen. 

Emma would either try to escape or ask to leave, and Regina needed to decided what to do. Let the girl go, or stop her from leaving. She weighed the pro's and con's.

Allowing Emma to go had a short list of pro's. It began and ended with the knowledge that if Regina were to let the girl go, the woman could make certain that she wouldn't hurt her. At least as certain as anything is in the world.

As far as forcing the girl to stay, the con's seemed rather abundant, but Regina didn't care. She had worked too hard for too long just to let everything slip out of her fingers. And she wanted the girl. She wanted to keep her Swan. Preferably because the blonde wanted to be there, but the brunette had ruined any chance of that. If push came to shove, Regina would just have to force the girl to stay. That's all there was to it.  
'If that's all there is to it, then why do I feel so awful?' The Queen asked herself. This certainly wouldn't be the first time she bended someone to her will. 

The brunette rose from her seat, always graceful. She began pacing the floor, trying to make things right with herself. She didn't expect Emma to seek out her company, so she was surprised to feel the girl's presence near her.

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Emma had returned to her chamber after the fiasco, there really wasn't anything else to do. She had herself a good cry, and thought everything over. Regina had sent a servant up to prepare a bath, the same girl that served them lunch yesterday. There was a meek knock on the blonde's door. The servant girl informed Emma a bath was ready for her, if she was so inclined.  
The blonde wanted to talk to the girl. She needed someone other than Regina to speak with. But she was exhausted, still in shock, and the girl was gone too quickly.

After taking some time for herself, Emma didn't feel quite as angry. Upset but not angry. She supposed the incident maybe wasn't as bad as she was making it in her head. Not that what Regina did was alright, but the woman had lost her temper, and she really is only human. People make mistakes. And she had apologized, something Emma was sure the Queen didn't do often. The blonde thought about how sad and small the older woman had been at the end. The girl hated seeing Regina like that, she wanted to tell the woman that she was forgiven, that Emma wanted to go back to being her Swan, whatever that meant. 

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When Emma entered the solarium she found the brunette wringing her hands, pacing back and forth. When she felt the girl's presence, her head shot up, and she stopped her anxious pacing. 

"Emma.." The Queen breathed out, almost surprised. Something like relief, even joy crossed the woman's face, making her look even more beautiful than normal. Unfortunately, within a heartbeat, it melted away into worry and what Emma recognized as insecurity.

"I'm sure you're here to request an escort home." Regina's voice was tense. She was so busy trying to keep a grip on herself, she didn't notice the way the blonde looked at her.

"Is that...is that what you want?" Emma all but squeaked, her voice so tight as she tried not to cry. Maybe Regina didn't want her to be 'her Swan' anymore. 

"No... No, Emma." The brunette's forehead was creased, she looked at Emma as if she didn't understand. Her head cocked to one side, studying the girl. 

"I don't want that at all.. I just assumed.." Regina trailed off, walking towards the blonde. Closing the space between them, she wanted to hold the girl, her Swan. Raising her hands to the girl's side, she remembered the way Emma had flinched at her touch, she dropped her hands back down.

"I am so sorry for losing my temper, you didn't deserve that." Regina looked away. Not down, but away, unable to meet the girl's eyes. She felt ashamed. Right before the silence proved to be to much for the woman to handle, she felt thin arms wrapping around her waist. 

Regina let out a shocked little gasp as the blonde pushed herself as close to the woman as physically possible. Her pale arms wrapped tightly around the Queen's tiny waist, Emma rested her forehead on the woman's shoulder. This was the last thing Regina had expected.  
"You scared me." The blonde murmured, her voice thick with emotion.  
"You were so angry, and I had only been looking for you. I woke up and you were gone..and...and I thought..I thought maybe I didn't do something right last night...or.." Emma started to cry, all of the events of the past couple days catching up with her.

"Oh Emma, no.." Regina wrapped her arms around the girl, feeling the blonde heave as her tears over took her. The brunette let her hand find it's way to the girl's hair, petting her softly.  
"I wasn't able to sleep. I'm sorry you woke up alone, you didn't do anything wrong." Regina consoled. She felt awful the girl was so upset, that she had made the girl so upset.

"I thought..maybe you didn't want me anymore.. Because honestly, I don't understand why you would want me in the first place." Emma broke into quiet sobs, tears running from her face onto the woman's shoulder. 

"Oh Emma, how can you not see how beautiful and perfect you are?" Regina asked, rhetorically. She kissed the blondes head, burrowing her face in the golden locks.  
"I'm sorry Emma. I really am. You didn't do anything wrong, and I shouldn't have spoken to you as I did."

"I'm not upset with you.. Not anymore. But, Re-" The Queen heard the girl stop herself from using the woman's first name and it made her heart ache. She loved hearing her name said from the girl's mouth. 

"Please Emma. Please use my name. I didn't mean what I said. I just have a bad temper and sometimes... Sometimes I do and say things I don't mean." The brunette felt the girl nod her head. She continued petting the soft curls, forcing herself to be patient as she waited for the girl to calm down, or continue talking. The blonde was full of surprises, so she didn't pretend to know what the girl was going to do next.

"Regina," the blonde continued a bit shaky.  
"Why were you so angry?" Emma finally asked. 

The brunette paused not sure how to explain. She was afraid to say too much, but she had to say something.

"Because Emma.." She tried to buy some time. "Because you are so young and sweet and you think the best of people. I don't think you know how beautiful you are, or what men can be like. And you're my Swan, I don't want anything or anyone to hurt you, or to look at you in the way that he was." Regina hoped this answer would suffice.

Emma still felt confused. As much as a part of her liked it, even craved it, she didn't understand what it meant to be Regina's Swan. She needed to know before this conversation went any further.

"I want to be." The blonde paused, feeling nervous, but she pushed herself.  
"I want to be your Swan, Regina. But I don't understand what that means." Emma finished, finally raising her tear streaked face to look into the brunette's. 

"Oh.." Regina didn't know what to say, she felt her heart pounding. She was more than pleased that Emma professed the desire to be hers, but she didn't know how to explain it to the girl. At least not in a way that wouldn't scare the blonde. 

Regina swallowed, trying to push down the lump in her throat. She looked at the girl, her eyes shining from tears. She was looking at the Queen, pleading for her to explain what was expected of her. Regina counted to ten, then twenty. Desperately she searched for the right words to say.

"I suppose this is a conversation we need to have." The brunette swallowed again. Maybe she should just use magic on the girl, she thought for only a moment before deciding against it.

"Can we... can we talk about this over tea?" She finally asked. Emma nodded, placing her head back onto the woman's shoulder. Regina sighed, glad to have her Swan back in her arms, but incredibly nervous about how long that would last. The Queen hoped she had bought enough time to come up with a decent enough explanation.


	11. Part 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so here is part 11. It is rather short, and I apologize, but I wanted to get it up before the weekend. There is what I suppose could be called a cliffhanger, but it's a little baby cliffhanger, not like the last one. As always, I really LOVE hearing what you think, so please let me know. I'm sorry that I haven't gotten back to responses on the last chapter, but I was trying to use what little spare time I have on writing this chapter. As always, thank you all for reading and I hope not to disappoint!!
> 
>  
> 
> *********************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Emma sat at a small round table across from the brunette. She had asked the woman what it meant to be 'her Swan,' but it seemed Regina wanted to talk about anything other than that. First she made a big to do over the tea. Where it came from, how it was made and every little detail. Emma didn't realize there was so much to know about a beverage. Then it was on to the plants inside of the solarium. Which plant did what, some of them could be used to heal, some of them were fragrant, others had slightly darker purposes. Finally Regina seemed to run out of things to talk about. 

"I know I've been staling," the brunette sighed, putting her cup down.  
"I suppose I'm just trying to pull the right words together." Regina touched her hand to her temple, she could feel a migraine coming on.

"Regina.. I'm sorry... I just want to understand.." Emma wore an uneasy look on her face. Mouth drawn and her brows pulled together. It seemed life had become one mystery after another, since meeting the brunette. There were so many things she wanted to understand. 

The Queen forced a smile.  
"Yes, I know dear."  
'If only it were that simple,' the woman thought to herself.

"Regina..can I ask you another question?" The blonde looked at the woman cautiously, afraid to push her too far. Especially now that Emma knew how quickly she could switch.

"Another question?" Regina asked sounding slightly overwhelmed, her voice raising just a notch and her dark eyebrows shot up.  
Then sighing, her expression softening;  
"Of course you have a lot of questions." The older woman frowned. Emma couldn't grasp what was going on with the queen, but she seemed to be having some sort of struggle.

"What is it, Emma?" Regina finally asked, still trying to find an answer to the first question.  
A suitable answer for the first question. 

Emma swallowed.  
"If...if I wasn't who I was...who I am..would you...would you still.. Would I still be sitting here?" The blonde bit her lower lip, afraid of the answer. 

Regina squinted. She now had a full force migraine.  
"I don't understand the question." She lied. 

"I just mean.. If Snow wasn't my mother..." Emma trailed off, watching Regina pick her tea cup up with shaking hands, only to set it back down without taking a drink.

Regina let out a ragged breath. She thought perhaps she preferred the first question to this one. At least she knew what she meant when she called the girl her Swan. There wasn't really a straight or easy answer to this one, and Regina really didn't know the answer. 

"Well, I'm not sure what circumstances we would have met under." The Queen finally remarked, dodging the question. 

"Umm.. I guess any other circumstances..." Emma couldn't move her gaze from the older woman, her brow wrinkled, holding her breath as she waited.

Regina picked up on the girl's nervous energy. She didn't like seeing her Swan so worried. She should have stayed in bed with the girl, been there to hold her and reassure her. Maybe if she would have done that, then she wouldn't have to answer these questions. 

'I don't have to answer them, I'm not required to explain myself to anyone.' A voice screamed in her head, the brunette tried to stifle her inner dialogue. She didn't want to hear it, not now.  
"Emma," she started, because she has to say something.  
"I enjoy your company because of who you are, not because of who you come from." Regina dances around the question, and this seems to appease the blonde, but only for a second.

"Are you happy it upsets my mother?" Emma's gaze bored into the older woman. 

"Yes." The Queen says firmly, truthfully. The admission hangs in the air, bold in it's simplicity. Regina supposes she could have lied, maybe she should have.

"Oh.." The blonde breathed out. She didn't expect such honesty. And now she wasn't sure she wanted to hear any of it. 

"Does that upset you?" Regina arched her brow, her voice tense. The woman could feel her anger rising. While trying to push it down, a separate part of her mentally goes through her arsenal of horrible statements to make.

"I don't know..." The girl looked down at her tea. It did upset her. She didn't want Regina to hurt either of her parents, she didn't want to hurt them. Especially not purposefully. And she didn't want to be used as a chess piece between Regina and Snow's war. 

Regina noticed how the girl was frowning. It seemed the blonde was trying to come to terms with some sort of understanding, or acceptance.

"Emma... I'm sorry, but that shouldn't come as a surprise to you." Regina had moved her hands into her lap, her fingers almost white knuckled. She was grasping at patience. It wasn't that she just hated Snow, although that was part of it. Regina hated this conversation, and she dreaded the one that was yet to come, but the worst of all would be the one after that. 

"I'm not surprised... I mean... I don't want you to hurt her...but," Emma looked at the Queen, trying to observe how her words were being received.  
"Your feelings towards my mother... That's your business, but... I... I want you to like me, not pretend to like me, just to make Snow unhappy.." The blonde shifted in her seat, waiting for Regina to say something, she felt very foolish.

"And I do Emma. I promise you I'm not pretending." The brunette reaches her hand out to the girl's, giving her a light squeeze. 

"It does make your mother distraught to know that you're here, and I do derive a great deal of pleasure from that knowledge. I don't want to lie to you. But that doesn't mean that I'm pretending with you. Emma, I promise you that I'm not." 

"So... That's not why you want me to... To be your Swan?" The blonde looks up at the woman, biting her bottom lip. 

"No, dear. That's not why." To the brunette's surprise, she found herself telling the truth, well part of the truth. It may have been her initial interest, but in the short time of knowing the girl, it's become so much more than that. 

The blonde didn't feel that Regina was being completely honest. Something felt off, she still couldn't believe that the Queen could have any real interest in her. But she desperately wanted to.

"Emma, you may not know it, but you are very special. And I don't mean because you're supposed to be the 'Savior'." The brunette rolled her eyes at the last part. 

Thinking for a moment, she moved to the side of her seat, allowing for extra room. She wanted her Swan closer. The brunette patted the empty spot, indicating that the blonde sit with her. Regina couldn't help the smile that spread across her face, as she watched the girl rise up and take a seat next to her so obediently. Wrapping an arm around the girl's waist, she pulled the blonde in closer to her. She loved the way her girl was so inclined to follow orders, just the thought made her groin tighten.

"This is what it means to be my Swan, Emma." The Queen whispered into blonde curls. 

Emma turned her head until she was facing the brunette. 

"That I...sit by you?" She asked, still not getting a clear picture of what Regina was telling her. 

"Mmm yes, when I tell you to," the Queen purred.  
"I want you to let me teach you.."

"About magic?" Emma's brows shot up.

"Yes, about magic, and other things. Like last night." Regina's voice grew husky at the thought of having the girl again. She ran her hand down Emma's side, tightening around the girl's waist. The blonde leaned in closer to her, reacting so perfectly to the Queen's affections.

"I want you to trust me, and do as I tell you. I do love how you always seem so eager to please me." The brunette brought her hand to the girl's cheek, gently caressing the pale skin with the back of her hand. She was overjoyed to see the blonde lean into her touch again. The Evil Queen hadn't ruined everything after all.

"I... I like to make you happy.." Emma blushed, trying to make sense of the conversation.

"I know you do. Why is that, I wonder?" Regina's voice was husky, carrying a bit of that teasing tone, but she was truly curious. 

"Because I like you..." Emma gave the woman a confused look. She had admitted to this before, but this time it was said so plainly, so matter of fact. She wasn't talking down to the Queen, but it was said in the way you would tell someone that the sky was blue or that grass was green. 

Regina found herself somewhat speechless with the innocent admission. She tightened her hold around the girl, trying to reign in her thoughts. She knew she had to have this conversation with Emma, it wasn't fair to expect certain things of the girl, yet not tell her what they were. 

"I like you too, Emma." Regina replied slowly, pushing hair out of the girl's face. She loved the way the blonde always blushed for her.

"I like you a lot, actually. And the thought of someone else... having you..." The brunette cleared her throat, feeling rage at even the thought of it.

"Well, let's just say that the way I behaved today is nothing in comparison to how I would react, if that were to happen." Regina studied the girl, both to see if her meaning was sinking in and to see how Emma reacted to her words. 

The blonde regarded her rather timidly, thoughts running through her head as she studied the older woman's face. 

"You really frightened me today.." The blonde responded slowly, still thinking about what this all meant. 

"Yes, I overreacted. I am sorry, but I don't want anyone seeing you in such a state of undress. You belong to me, Emma." Regina's voice was a low growl at the last part. She really didn't mean it to come out, at least not the way it did. The brunette waited for the girl to start crying, or say she wanted to leave. Then the Queen would have to take the blonde's heart or use magic to bind her to the castle, and everything sweet and innocent between them would be ruined. 

'Well, it was nice while it lasted.' Regina consoled herself. She waited for the drama to ensue.

"You mean..like...a slave?" The blonde asked, brows furrowed something like anger and hurt in her eyes. 

Regina winced. She didn't think about it in quite those terms. Pet, was a bit more of an accurate word to describe what she had in mind. But of course she couldn't say that either.

"No... No, Emma. I would never want to do that to you." The brunette replied firmly. She leaned back, getting a better view of the girl's reaction. Running her fingers through blonde locks, the Queen thought.  
Regina didn't want that. Not exactly. She didn't want to force the girl into anything. She didn't want to, but she was afraid she would.

"Emma, I just want you to be mine, behave as if you are mine, do as I ask of you, and trust me. Do you understand what I'm telling you?" The brunette asked, wondering why the girl was still cuddled next to her. Sure, she hadn't explicitly told her all that she wanted. How could she? But she felt she had revealed enough to send anyone in the opposite direction.

"I don't want to be with anyone else.." Emma said aloud, but she was talking to herself. Making things right in her mind.

"I should hope not." The brunette replied dryly, eyebrow arched. 

"Do you... Do you want me to be your wife?" The blonde squinted, trying to make sense of the things Regina was telling her.

"What?" Regina chocked out, unable to hide her laughter.  
"Why would you say that?" 

"Well, you said you don't want me to be with anyone else, and that I should behave as if I am yours..." Emma was turning redder and redder as she tried to explain.  
"...And I've only been to one wedding, but in the vows they said that the wife should... should be obedient... And you like when I... When I do as you ask..." Emma finished, brows raised looking at the brunette expectantly. 

Regina thought for a moment. The girl did have a point. She didn't have time to ponder much on the subject, but it did cross her mind, how unfair this world was to women. That the definition of a slave and the definition of a wife, even a royal wife, would be so similar. That's exactly what she had felt like during her marriage. Just for a moment, she wondered if things were different somewhere else, in that other world. 

Emma was still looking at her expectantly, waiting for an answer that Regina didn't have. 

"I think your parents would definitely start a war if they received that wedding invitation." The brunette replied. She noticed the way Emma frowned and she wondered what exactly was the source of that expression. 

"I suppose I don't really have a word to describe all that I want with you, Emma. But, given the two that you have come up with, I would prefer wife over slave." Regina ran her hands through the girl's hair, smiling when she felt the girl's arm wrap around her. 

"I want to be your Swan, Regina...but..." Emma stopped, cautiously looking at the brunette. 

"But what?" Regina didn't mean to snap, but she was running out of patience and she assumed this was the part of the conversation when everything would be ruined.

"I... I really don't want you to...be with someone else.." The blonde's eyes stared into the Queen's, and it didn't feel like a demand or as if Emma wanted to own or control her. Regina found it felt strangely nice, a warmth spreading through her body. 

"I wonder what it is you see in me, Emma." The brunette murmured, as she softly brought her lips to the girl's. The kiss was soft and sweet, Emma humming against the Queen's lips and Regina wondering what she did to receive something this good. 

"How could I want for anything else when I have my Swan?" The brunette asked, their lips still touching.

*********************************

Regina was surprised to find that despite the exhausting start to the day, the blonde still wanted to start her lessons in magic. The Queen was beginning to realize that Emma was a constant surprise. She had not imagined that things would turn out the way they had. Not in a million years. True, she hadn't given the girl full disclosure, not truly. But she had been more honest with Emma than she had expected herself to be. Another surprise. 

Emma had asked her, if she was expected to be a slave or a wife. She really didn't think either were applicable, but based on her explanation of what she wanted, the brunette could see how the girl jumped to those conclusions. Regina found it rather amusing that while slave seemed to upset the blonde, and rightly so, she seemed perfectly content in a role that was something like a wife. Regina thought of it differently, but she didn't find it was necessary to mince words, as long as they were on the same page about expectations.

Emma held the Queen's hand as she was led through a secret chamber off of Regina's room. The brunette had waved her hand against the far wall and a door presented itself. When the door creaked open Regina took the girl's hand, as they stepped onto a thin stone staircase leading down into the castle.

Emma still felt some unease over the morning, and maybe especially, her conversation with Regina. But something about being near the woman made her feel so complete, she didn't want to ruin it with her thoughts and worries. She did want to please Regina, she didn't know why, but it brought her so much satisfaction. With her hand in the Queens everything else seemed to fade away. 

"Are you scared?" Regina stopped, turning towards the girl. She had felt the blonde give her hand a little extra squeeze as they travled down the dark staircase. 

"A little bit." Emma answered truthfully.

"Don't worry, this is your birthright. Once you learn to control your magic it will feel like the most natural thing in the world. Like a second skin." Regina continued down the stairs, pulling the girl with her. 

The two entered an oval room, lit up by candlelight and a fire in the hearth. In some ways, Emma felt like it was the coziest room in the castle. There were books and ingredients and potions lining the wall. A large high backed chair sat near the fire, a small desk in the center.

The blonde had a feeling the space was sacred. She couldn't exactly explain it, but she knew this wasn't a place Regina brought others into. It felt intensely intimate.

"I know it's sort of... humble in comparison to the rest of the castle.." The brunette spoke almost shyly. 

"It's just your space." Emma ran her hand over the table, glancing at the shelves.

"The entire castle is my space." Regina looked at the girl quizzically.  
"Yes, but you... I don't feel like you bring many people down here." The blonde looked up, a sheepish smile on her face.

"You're right Emma, I don't." Regina closed the small space between them, resting her hands around the girl's waist.  
"Just you, my Swan."

Emma blushed slightly, it felt good to be Regina's Swan again.

"Thank you." She ran her hands up and down Regina's arms, beginning to feel that fluttering feeling in her abdomen. 

The brunette caressed the girl's cheek, cupping her chin. She could sense the blonde's building arousal, and decided to indulge just a little. Pushing her lips against the girl's. She felt Emma's breathing pick up as her tongue ran past parted lips. 

When they broke the kiss the blonde was panting slightly, a hungry look in her eye. 

"Maybe we could do a different type of lesson?" Emma asked coyly, blushing as she said it.

Regina laughed. It wasn't the laugh of a Queen, evil or otherwise. Rather, the laugh of someone without the burden of being anyone but themselves. 

"Oh, I fully intend on that, Em-ma." The brunette tucked the girl under the chin, watching the blonde smile shyly.  
"Maybe if you do a good job with these lessons, you'll get a reward." Regina arched her brow suggestively.

***********************************

The lessons in magic went fairly well. Regina was pleased with what a fast learner the girl was and how concentrated she could be. Of course she had given Emma some initiative. 

The blonde was feeling a little less uneasy about her power. Regina had mostly worked with her on the basics. How to control it, how to summon it and then cut it off. It wasn't really that much, but it had been rather trying. Emma didn't realize how long they had been working until they came back up the stairs. The sun had almost completely set, only a few rays of light stretching out over the castle.

"I'm so proud of you, Emma." Regina came up behind the girl, who was gazing out the window. The brunette ran her hands up and down the blonde's sides, leaning her body into the girl's, who responded by leaning back into the woman.  
"You're learning so quickly." She whispered into Emma's ear, then placed a kiss just below on the blonde's neck. Goosebumps popping up on the pale flesh. The blonde made a little humming sound, before turning around to look at the Queen. They held each others gaze for a few heart beats before Emma spoke.

"Did your mom teach you magic?" The blonde asked cautiously, knowing this wasn't one of the Queen's favorite subjects. 

Regina immediately frowned at the mention of her mother. 

"Emma..." The brunette started, her voice carrying a bit of annoyance.

"I know," Emma turned until she was fully facing the Queen. Picking up Regina's hand she held it with both of hers before continuing.  
"You don't like to talk about it. But... I want to know you, Regina. You're so mysterious and sometimes I feel like.. I don't know... Almost like I catch a glimpse of another person, another you. I... I just like you... A lot, and I want to know who you are." The blonde paused, daring to look up at the dark haired woman.  
"Who you really are." She added softly.

Regina bit the inside of her cheek, trying not to fly off the handle. The Evil Queen was screaming inside her head.  
'Who does this girl think she is? What right does she have?'  
Regina tried pushing the voice away, but she was beginning to feel vulnerable. But then she looked at the blonde, who was staring at her so sweetly. 

"There are a lot of things I don't think you would like to know about me." It sounded like a warning. It was. 

"If you don't want to talk about it, I won't mention it again. But, I don't care about what you've done before, Regina." Emma couldn't explain it, but she felt an urgent need to know all she could about the Queen. 

Regina was slightly taken aback. She couldn't remember the last time someone had shown general care or interest in her. And something in her knew the girl was sincere. This wasn't just a way to gather information to use against her later on. 

Emma saw Regina's face soften, and it gave her the courage to push on.  
"You did say you would give me a reward..." The girl added, raising her eyebrows slightly. 

"Yes," Regina smiled, pushing the girl against the window frame and running her hands up and down her sides. She wondered where Emma had picked up such boldness.  
"But my reward was going to be a bit more pleasurable." 

The blonde brought her hands up to the woman's face, slightly nervous now. Touching Regina, initiating anything with the woman still made her nervous.  
"I'm sorry Regina, I didn't mean to bring up bad memories." Emma stroked the woman's face, watching, memorized as Regina leaned into her touch. 

"How could I deny you anything?" The brunette whispered, placing her hand over the girl's, holding it to her face. She felt her heart swell slightly.  
"I'll make a deal with you." She finally said, eyes shining with excitement.  
"Your reward will cover some of the cost. But if you want me to tell you about my mother and how I learned magic, I'm going to make you work for it.' That feral smile spread across Regina's face, exposing white teeth under full red lips.


	12. Part 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 12, finally done!! I'm so sorry it took so long, and to be honest I wanted to put more into this chapter, but it sort of got away from me. I hope you all enjoy, as always I will get the next chapter up just as soon as I can, I promise!!
> 
> Thank you all for reading! And for those of you that comment, THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! If it wasn't for the constant support I've received from you all, I might not have continued writing, but you guys are just so inspiring and so wonderful. You have no idea how much it means to me. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!! I can't say it enough!! I can't wait to hear your thoughts, comments, concerns, etc. so please don't hesitate!!  
> Thank you!!!!!!!!!
> 
> ********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

"Work for it?" Emma blushed. Leaning against the window, she felt her heartbeat increase and the muscles between her legs tighten. 

"Oh yes, dear." Regina moved back a step, hands holding the girl by her waist, surveying what was hers. Slowly, she moved her hands up to the blonde's breasts. The Queen watched as Emma's breathing picked up, the rise and fall of her chest increasing. Regina loved how easily the girl responded to her. She ran her hands around the outline of the girl's breast, hearing the blonde sigh. 

Emma was the one to lean forward, wrapping her arms around the brunette and pressing their lips together. Regina let out a little chuckle, she was happy to see that her Swan was becoming more confident about showing her affections. As they kissed, the Queen ran her hands to the girl's back, moving her hands into the golden mane. Wrapping the curls around her fingers, she tugged the blonde hair until Emma leaned her head back. Regina trailed her lips down the girl's neck, feeling the blonde's pulse beneath creamy white skin. The brunette loved the whimpers and sighs the girl gave her as she combined nips and bites with soft kisses.

Finally, the older woman pulled away, blonde hair still snugly wrapped around her fingers. Regina caressed the girl's face, cupping her chin.

"You know where I keep the port?" Her voice was gravelly. Emma nodded as best as she could, her head still pulled back slightly.

"Pour me a glass." Regina whispered to the blonde, slowly releasing her hold on the girl. 

The brunette took a seat on her chaise, spreading out the length of the lounger, enjoying the sight of the blonde obediently following her order. Emma felt a shift between the Regina of last night, and the brunette that was laying across the lounger, watching her intently. She wondered if it had anything to do with the events of the day and their chat in the solarium. 

As she approached the older woman, Emma became increasingly more nervous. She wanted Regina, but last night hadn't exactly made her an experienced lover and something was different about the air tonight. A tenseness lingered. She extended the goblet out, handing it to the brunette.

"Good girl." Regina praised, taking the glass, but making no invitation for the girl to join her on the chaise. Emma bit at her bottom lip. Unsure of what she was supposed to do, and why Regina was acting so strangely. She stayed in place, hands clasped together in front of her. 

Regina sipped her port, never taking her eyes off the girl. She knew it was making the blonde uneasy, and a part of her hated that. She really didn't enjoy acting so coolly with her Swan, a part of Regina couldn't understand why she was doing it. She didn't want Emma to be nervous or afraid, she thought about pulling the girl into her lap and reassuring her.

However, the other part of Regina was quite turned on by the blushing girl in front of her. Her girl, her Swan. Emma had asked what it meant, and the Queen intended to show her. 

"Have a sip Em-ma, I think you may need it." The woman arched her brow, suggestively. She didn't extend the cup to the girl, nor did she make room on the lounger. She knew what she wanted from her Swan, but she wanted to see how intuitive the blonde was. Regina had a feeling she would be pleased with the outcome. 

Shifting uneasily, Emma searched the brunette's face, but the Queen gave no indication of where she wanted her. Feeling silly, she took a step towards the woman. Clearing her throat she looked at Regina again, silently asking for some sort of instruction. Mercifully, the brunette shot her glance to the spot on the floor in front of the chaise, then back up to the blonde. The Queen waited, eager to see how her Swan would react. 

Emma met the woman's glance, her eyes wide with mixed emotions. Trepidation, curiosity, lust. Tonight was definitely different from the previous one, and something about this act seemed important. It wasn't just taking a spot on the floor, it felt like some sort of agreement, some sort of surrender. A part of this realization troubled Emma, a part of it made her stomach flutter and her sex clench. But more than anything she wanted to please the woman in front of her.

A wide smile stretched across Regina's face as she watched the girl slowly bend at the knees, tucking her legs beneath her as she kneeled in front of her Queen. Emma looked up, searching Regina's face for approval with a half smile.

Extending one hand to the girl's face, the brunette pulled her Swan in, giving her a slow kiss. Emma's hands found their way onto the Queen's thighs, a much needed means of support as she fell into the kiss. After a few sweet moments, Regina began nibbling on the girl's lip as she pulled away. Her sex aching at the whimpering sound the girl made.

Regina straightened herself on the chaise, bringing the goblet of port to the girl's mouth. Emma's hands went up to clasp the glass, but she felt the brunette's soft hands gently pushing her own away. The girl quickly understood what the Queen wanted. Remembering a similar scene her first night at the castle. Obediently she dropped her hands back onto the woman's thighs, letting Regina feed her the port.

"You're so good my Swan, so well behaved." The woman purred, using her other hand to stroke the blonde hair. She noticed the way Emma blushed at her words, her eye lids fluttering until she was looking down at the floor. Emma didn't understand why, but she couldn't deny what an affect the woman's words had on her. She could feel it in her chest, and between her legs. A fluttering tightening somewhat terrible, somewhat wonderful feeling.

When Regina thought the girl had enough she gently pulled back on the blonde curls, loving the way Emma followed the silent command and tilted her head back. The Queen momentarily regretted not telling her Swan to disrobe before having the girl kneel in front of her. Regina reminded herself to take it slow and easy with the blonde, there would be plenty of time for that in the future. 

She placed the goblet down on the end table beside her, gentling her hold on girl's hair with her other hand. The Queen didn't need to be harsh with her Swan, who was already so very eager to please. The brunette traced the girl's lips with her index finger, gathering up any excess of leftover port, as her other hand slowly moved out of the blonde curls, caressing the blonde's cheek.

Emma wanted to do so much and not do anything at all. She thought she would feel more confident the second time around, but somehow she felt just as nervous tonight as she did the previous one. Maybe even more so. She couldn't put words to what she was feeling, but Emma knew. Something primal in her knew that tonight had more meaning than simple physical or even emotional release. Regina was telling her something, but not telling her at the same time.

The girl studied the brunette, lips slightly parted. Regina brought her mouth to the blonde's, pushing past her lips roughly. Before long, Emma was panting and moaning into the brunette's mouth, moving her own hands around the Queen. She had vaguely understood that tonight was about obedience, and she hoped that her actions would not be taken as unruliness, but she could only behave to a certain point. 

Regina hummed something that sounded like approval against the blondes mouth, moving her hand back into gold curls. It was the only encouragement Emma needed. She remained kneeled in front of the Queen, but she stretched out, sitting a little taller, as she pressed herself against the older woman. Pushing her tongue into the brunette's mouth, her hands traveling up and down the woman's body. 

Finally, Regina broke the kiss, leaving her Swan breathless and wanting for more. Emma could feel the aching between her legs growing stronger.

"Regina..?" It was a whine, a plea. Emma looked up at the woman, biting her lower lip, brow creased.

"Patience, Princess." The Queen stroked the blonde's cheek, smiling softly. Her other hand slowly moving down the front of the girl's dress. As she cupped the girl's breast, Emma let out a surprised little gasp. 

"Please, Regina.." The girl whined.

"Didn't I tell you that you were going to work for it tonight?" The brunette teased. Regina was 'fond' of the girl, and she didn't want to be cruel, but she was finding it hard to completely keep the Evil Queen at bay. She took another moment to knead the blonde's pert breast, feeling the girl arch into her touch. She loved the disappointed look that crossed Emma's face as she moved her hand away.

"Up." It was a simple statement, an order. Regina clasped the blonde's arm, helping the girl stand.

Emma stood in front of the Queen, her heart pounding. She waited for the woman to tell her what to do, shifting nervously. 

Regina leaned back in the lounger, retrieving her goblet from the table. She took a few sips before continuing.  
"You're so beautiful, let me see you Emma." The brunette smiled behind her glass.

"You mean...?" The blonde looked at her, worry marking her face. Emma wasn't accustomed to disrobing in front of others, and last night had been nerve racking, but at least Regina had done most of the work.   
"Yes, dear. I think I deserve a better show than my huntsman, don't you?" Regina hadn't meant to be so harsh. She was still upset about that afternoon. Not angry exactly, at least not anymore, but upset. 

"Regina... I'm... I'm sorry." Emma had turned a deep crimson from the biting remark. She didn't want Regina to be upset with her. Her hands trembling, she began to undo the ties of her dress. Regardless of her nerves, she wanted to please the Queen, and she would take any opportunity to make up for the afternoon. 

Regina sighed, inwardly scolding herself for being so hard on the girl. She could tell how sorry the blonde was over the incident, and it really had been a silly mistake. And her Swan really was so good. Even now Regina could tell how nervous the girl was, yet she was still so determined, so willing to please.

"I've forgiven you, Emma. This isn't about earning my forgiveness.." The brunette wrestled within herself. She could make this less stressful for the blonde. She could get up and undress her, take her the way she did last night. But Emma wanted to know who Regina was, she wanted to know what it meant to be hers. 

"It's not?" Emma had her head cocked to the side, hands still holding the ties of her dress.

"No dear, this is about pleasing me, and being my Swan." The brunette arched her brow, wondering what was going through the girl's head. Wondering if the blonde was beginning to understand, if she wished she could go back to a time before she had run into the arms of the Evil Queen.

"Oh." Emma's brows shot up. Clearly something was going on in her mind, but she didn't share and Regina didn't ask. The Queen was surprised when Emma continued.

The blonde took in a nervous little breath, then exhaled before proceeding. It didn't take long for her dress to drop to the ground, leaving her in just a slip and underwear. She looked at Regina, who looked somewhat surprised, but then she nodded and smiled her approval. That was all Emma needed to reassure her. Raising her slip slightly she removed her undergarments, stepping out of them slowly. Finally taking a deep breath, she pulled her slip up and over her head, discarding it next to her other articles of clothing. 

Emma couldn't bring herself to look at the older woman, and instead fixed her gaze toward the wall, crossing her arms over her chest. It felt rather humiliating standing before the woman, so exposed. But this is what Regina wanted, and that knowledge made it tolerable, even exciting and somewhat pleasurable. But still, the vulnerability of it all, was almost too much.

"Ohhh, you are breathtaking." Regina purred, trying to reassure and comfort the blonde.  
"Come here, my Swan ." The brunette held her arm out to the girl. The blonde all but ran to her embrace, closing the small amount of space between them.

Emma knelt in front of the woman, her nude body pressed against the brunette, more on the chaise than on the floor. Regina could feel how nervous the girl was. She wrapped her arms around the blonde, running her fingers up and down the smooth skin. 

"I do want to be yours, Regina." Emma murmured into Regina's neck, her soft breath giving the brunette goosebumps. It was sweet and sincere, and Regina regretted making the girl move so far out of her comfort zone. Momentarily, she regretted it, because having the blonde naked on her knees in front of her was just to delicious a sight for the Queen not to enjoy.

"Oh you are. You are mine, Emma." The woman half cooed, half growled in the girl's ear. After a few moments she held the blonde out in front of her, eyes roaming up and down the girl's body.

"You're such a pretty little thing, Emma." Her voice was husky as she cupped the girl's breasts in her hands. Running her thumbs over pink nipples, watching as they became hard and stood at attention from her touch. The Queen was pleased when the girl let her head fall back and a moan escaped her mouth.

Cautiously, Emma moved her hands up Regina's legs, still covered by the heavy fabric of her dress. It seemed this was something the brunette enjoyed; having the blonde in the nude while she remained dressed, not making herself vulnerable. Emma wondered if this too had something to do with their chat, and vaguely, if it had to do with something else. Some sort of preservation on the brunette's part. 

Regina gently took either side of the girl's face, kissing her, full and passionate. She wanted all of her Swan. Both of them panting, the Queen pulled away slowly.

"Come here." The older woman said softly.

Slowly the blonde straightened herself, still kneeling between the woman's legs. Regina's hand found her arm and she felt the woman tug lightly on her. Not really sure what she was supposed to do, Emma moved up the woman's body. Regina kept pulling on the girl, positioning her where she wanted the blonde.

Finally, she had Emma straddling her lap, the girl's knees resting on either side of the chaise. She knew it still made the blonde nervous to be so exposed, especially in such a vulnerable position. The blonde pressed herself so tightly against the woman, her arms wrapping around the brunette's neck, nervous erratic breaths tickling the Queen's skin. Regina found breathing to be a task. But it was a small price to pay, and the girl was working so hard to please the Queen.

Emma's leg's splayed out the way they were, and the lack of clothing had her feeling terribly exposed. She wanted to please Regina, but this felt like a lot to handle. Maybe if she wasn't the only one in such a state of undress it would have been less intimidating, less humiliating. But Regina didn't seem as if she would be disrobing any time soon. Despite these troubling feelings, Emma felt the moisture between her legs growing, she tried squeezing her legs together, but it was useless in this position.

Regina ran her hands up and down the girl's back. The soft exposed skin felt so perfect against her hands. She could have gotten lost in just that feeling, but her Swan was shaking. It was slight, she didn't even feel it at first. But it was there, just beneath the blonde's skin.

She pulled the girl's face to her own. Regina pressed her lips to the blonde's, giving her a soft kiss.  
"Such a good girl," she murmured, stroking the girl's hair and back. This seemed to calm her Swan somewhat.   
"Are you alright, Emma?" The brunette asked, because Regina wanted to be sure. She was afraid maybe she had pushed the girl too far too quickly.

But Emma was brave, and she wanted to please the older woman. And she wanted the throbbing between her legs to stop. She had a hard time forming words, but she managed a nod for the brunette.

"You're being so good, my Swan." Regina drawled, running her right hand up and down the girl's smooth body, while the other held the blonde around the waist. Emma let out a soft sigh at the woman's words. It was a sound of relief.

Regina smiled, bringing her free hand to the girl's breast, cupping and kneading her flesh, basking in the sounds the girl made and the way the muscles in her body jerked and tightened. The brunette rubbed her fingers over the girl's nipple, pinching until she heard the blonde gasp. Satisfied, Regina did the same to the other breast. Emma jumped slightly, but the brunette's arm around her waist kept her from moving far.

Regina felt herself throbbing, and she could tell that, despite her discomfort, the blonde was becoming increasingly aroused.

"Are you wet, Em-ma?" Regina panted in the girl's ear. Taking the blonde's earlobe in her mouth, sucking and nibbling.

Emma let out a choked little moan, feeling herself both blush and throb at the question.  
"Y-yes.." She finally managed.

"Good girl." Regina growled, moving the hand around the blonde's waist into her hair. The Queen pulled on the golden locks, a mixture of firm and gentle, taking her other hand between the girl's spread legs. Regina felt the girl jump as she made contact with her wet slit, running her finger the length of the girl's folds, intentionally avoiding the blondes clit.

Emma's body took over, thrusting her sex, trying to make contact. A whimpering moan released from her lips when she couldn't get what she craved. 

Regina sighed pleasurably, enjoying the show. She continued lightly stroking the girl's folds, ignoring the most sensitive needy area. Emma began panting, thrusting herself uselessly towards the Queen's fingers. The brunette could feel the muscles in the girl's legs tightening, trying in vain to squeeze together. With a feather like touch she circled the girl's clit, only increasing her need. Emma moaned, digging her fingers into the woman's shoulders.

"Please..." The blonde practically cried. Brows drawn together she looked at Regina pleadingly, soft whimpers uncontrollably escaping.

Regina only responded by kissing the girl's quivering lips. Moving the skirt of her dress up to her waist, she shifted, pressing her knee against the girl's sex until she only straddled the one leg. Emma let out a moan at the contact. 

"Mmmm. You feel so good, Emma.". Regina purred, moving her hands to the girl's backside, pushing softly, encouraging her Swan to grind herself against her leg. Emma whimpered, but otherwise followed the brunette's instructions.   
"Yes, show me how much you want me." Like the previous time, the blonde found this task slightly humiliating, but she needed the contact so badly, pleasure soon overrode humiliation. Regina nibbled on her Swan's neck, taking the girl's hand and leading it between her legs. 

Emma continued to slide herself across the woman's thigh as she pushed her fingers past Regina's undergarment, finding her wet center. Moaning as her fingers ran across the woman's clit. Regina felt so hot and so wet and so very wonderful. Emma began stroking her folds, returning to circle the woman's nub, then back into her folds. She loved the sounds of pleasure coming from the woman, and the way she was moving under the blonde's touch. The girl found a good position, pushing two fingers into the Queen, using her thumb to circle the woman's clit.

Regina pulled the girl against her as her orgasm began to build, she was thrusting and moaning. Uttering raspy words of praise to her Swan.  
Emma continued, picking up speed as she moved in and out of the woman. She loved the way Regina clenched around her fingers, and the way the brunette was responding to her. 

Regina threw her head back, moaning loudly and holding tightly onto the blonde.

"Oh yes! Yes! Emma!" She yelled as she reached her climax, feeling as if she was exploding. The girl was a fast learner, having improved leaps and bounds from last night.

"Ohhh..." Regina sighed raggedly, throwing her head against the back of the chaise as she came down from her orgasm. With one arm around the girl, she pulled until the blonde laid against her. Absently, she stroked the girl's hair and back as she recuperated. Emma wrapped her arms around the older woman, listening to her erratic breathing and thumping heart, feeling oddly pleased with herself.

Finally, Regina felt her strength returning. She wanted the blonde now. She wanted her withering and panting and begging for the release Regina wanted to give her.

Without warning the brunette forced her free leg between the girl's again, spreading her Swan open for her. Emma didn't have time to respond as one hand was in her hair, holding her in place, while the other slid between her legs. Regina spread her own legs, forcing the blonde wide open, just stopping before it became painful.

Emma moaned as the Queen's expert fingers played with her clit, her touches varied from hard to painfully soft. Then Regina would run her fingers down the girl's slit to her tight opening. Gently, the brunette would push her fingers in, slowly loosening the girl, then before it became to uncomfortable she would return to the blonde's now stiff and sensitive nub.

Emma was squirming and moaning and whimpering. Occasionally she was able to form pleading words. She held onto Regina's shoulder, trying to keep her balance. If she wouldn't have been pushed into such ecstasy, Emma may have been uneasy with the way she was so spread out for Regina, but she was only able to think on this momentarily.

The Queen took the girl's clit between her thumb and forefinger, pinching lightly. Just until the girl jumped, emitting a sweet little yelp. Lightly she rubbed her fingers over the sensitive area, moving back to the girl's entrance. 

"Do you like this, Em-ma?" Regina purred as she pushed two fingers back into the girl. She could feel the walls of the blonde's wet sex closing around her fingers.

Emma could only whimper at first. She did like it, although it could be slightly uncomfortable.  
"Y-yes.." The blonde finally nodded.

"Good girl." Regina whispered, smiling as she felt the girl's sex twitch at her words. Emma was thrusting against her hand as she continued to play with the girl. The brunette took one of the girl's breasts into her mouth, swirling her tongue around the hard nipple, then closing her teeth around it.

Emma moaned.  
"Please, please, please." She pleaded repeatedly as the woman took her other breast, copying her previous attentions. The girl was so wet, so ready.

"Do you want to come?" Regina teased, flicking the girl's clit.

Emma shrieked, her body going rigid.  
"Yes... Yes... Please... Please, Regina.." The girl was heaving, almost crying.

"Mmmmm such a good girl," the brunette drawled, playing with the girl almost painfully slow, then spreading up. She would bring the blonde to the edge, then slow down, just to repeat the torture over and over again.

Emma was shaking, every muscle jumping and twitching against the Queen's touch. She could have come several times over now, but Regina kept teasing her. The blonde thought she really might go mad with lust. She was beyond the point of caring about being exposed, or spread painfully open on the Queen's lap, or how vulgar her actions might be. All she could think of was release. 

The blonde was throwing her head from side to side, withering and thrusting against Regina, who was thoroughly enjoying the girl's display of need. Was thoroughly enjoying it until her Swan began to cry, not just cry out, but actually cry.

"Please, please Regina...please... I can't..." Emma begged, barely able to get the words out, as tears fell from her eyes.

"Shhhhh.. Shhh..." Regina pulled the shaking girl against her, rubbing circles on her back as her other hand sped up between the blonde's legs. Paying special attention to the girl's needy clit.

"Yes. Come for me, my Swan." The Queen had barely gotten the words out before the girl climaxed, gasping and moaning, her whole body trembling against the older woman as the orgasm ripped through her.

Emma fell against the brunette wrapping her shaking arms around the woman. Her muscles still jumping and tensing. Regina held the girl who was still whimpering and panting. 

After a few moments Emma felt like she might recover from such an intense orgasm. She tried to center her breathing and get a hold of herself.   
"Thank you.." She panted against the brunette's neck, placing a soft kiss against the woman's skin, tightening her hold around the Queen.  
"Thank you... Thank you, Regina.." The girl repeated softly.

Regina felt her heart tighten. She had enjoyed the girl and her begging immensely, but she knew she had pushed a little too far. The Evil Queen would have been much worse, but Regina had wanted to keep that part of herself entirely out of the bedchamber. When the girl started crying Regina assumed she had destroyed everything with her Swan. But instead of being hurt or upset with the Queen, the blonde was behaving so sweetly, so grateful, so unbelievably perfect. It seemed Emma was never short of surprises. 

"Shh shh.." She comforted, kissing the blonde on her temple. Regina continued to rub the girl's back and hair, offering soft comforting words to her Swan.

When the brunette felt the girl calm down, she pushed the girl away just enough to look at her face. Using the back of her hand, she wiped away any remains of tears from the blonde's cheeks.  
"You're so perfect, Emma." She whispered reverently.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Regina sat across from her Swan, at the table on her balcony. After recovering from the events in the bedchamber, Emma had shyly expressed her need for food, the blonde was famished. 

"Emma.." Regina started, for some reason she felt the need to say something about the way she had treated the girl in the bedchamber.  
"Did you...did you enjoy that?" The brunette finally settled on that question. It seemed safe, she didn't think she could bring herself to apologize, because she honestly wasn't sorry. Nor could she say it wouldn't be like that again, because she knew it would, Regina knew it could be much more harsh than that. Truthfully, it was still the sweetest, most gentle love making the Queen had ever experienced. 

Emma looked up from her plate, her face absolutely serious.   
"Y-yes..." Blushing, she answered the question. It was true, she had enjoyed it. That may have only been her second orgasm, but it was still the most intense she had experienced. Still, the blonde had a certain uneasiness resting inside her. 

"Yes...but?" Regina arched her brow. She had caught an oddness in the girl's voice. 

"Umm..." Emma cleared her throat.  
"Well..." The girl bit at her lip obsessively.

"Emma..." Regina's arched brow jutted higher.  
"What is it? What didn't you like? Tell me, I promise I won't get upset. I want to know how you feel." The brunette's voice softened.

"I... I did like..everything.." The blonde answered, then thought about what she had said.  
"Well... There were some things... Some things I kind of...didn't like... But I also did.... I think." Emma blushed, trying to make sense of her own feelings. 

"Oh? That sounds like quite the conundrum. Do you want to talk about it?" The brunette tried to hide the nervousness in her voice. 

"I... I was... Well it makes me...nervous not to..have anything on... I mean to be..nude.. especially if..you're not..." The girl replied quietly, her blush deepening with each word.

"Oh Emma, you have nothing to be ashamed of!" Regina stifled a laugh at the girl's innocent admission.  
"I love seeing you in all your glory." The brunette added seriously.

"Th-thank you..." The blonde shifted, looking down a moment.  
"I know it..ugh.. Pleases you.. I like that.. Knowing that.." Emma felt like her cheeks were on fire.

"You don't know how that admission affects me, my Swan." Regina ran her hand against the girl's hot cheek, her voice raspy. Hearing Emma admit to that sent a jolt through the Queen's body, straight to her sex. The brunette cleared her throat.  
"I don't think anyone has ever said that to me and meant it.." She said it aloud, but she hadn't meant to. Suddenly, with that small mistake Regina felt the walls closing in on her, she felt too vulnerable and was about to lash out in order to stop that horrible feeling.

"I mean it." The girl's voice was almost defiant, daring Regina to challenge her on this matter. It took the Queen by surprise enough to make her forget about being emotionally exposed. Regina's eyebrows shot up, she couldn't help but laugh. She grabbed the girl's hand, holding it tightly.

"I know you do, dear. That's why it means so much to me." The brunette said. Emma finally gave the woman a shy smile before continuing.

"Regina..?" Emma's gaze turned intent.

"Yes?" Regina waited patiently, having no idea what was going to come out of the girl's mouth.

"I..I did enjoy everything... A lot... even the things that feel..sort of confusing. But this whole evening... In there at least.." Emma nodded her head towards the bedchamber.  
"I felt... I felt like you were.. Well, like you were telling me something... I don't know how to explain it... It felt different from last night." Emma looked at the older woman, eyes searching for an answer. 

"Well there are many different ways and things people do behind closed doors, Emma." Regina knew what the girl was getting at, but she was trying to find the right way to phrase it.

"I..I guess I know that.." Emma blushed, wondering if she had imagined everything and it was just her own inexperience talking.

"But, that aside, I suppose you are right." The Queen couldn't leave her Swan feeling so insecure.

"Was it about..being yours? About being your Swan?" Emma's eyes squinted in concentration.

"Yes, it was." Regina was the one to bite her lip this time. The Queen reminded herself that she could use magic, she could use it to loosen the girl's tongue and spill all her thoughts, she could use it to have ultimate control over the girl.  
'It's not the same!' She silently screamed to the voice in her head. She did want control, but she wanted the blonde to give it, willingly to her, to give herself to the Queen. And so far, the girl had.

"Oh....like the...kneeling?" Emma's eyebrows pulled together, trying to grasp and make sense of everything.

"Yes, Emma..." Regina's voice was almost sad.  
"Did you..did you hate it?" The brunette didn't know why she was asking, she had never asked that question. 

"No...I didn't hate it..and I felt like you.. Like you really liked it..and..I do want to please you.." The girl blushed.  
" Did you...did you like it?" Emma asked slowly, examining her own feelings. It had felt slightly humbling, not all together humiliating, not the kneeling at least, but it was making her wet thinking about it now. Actually, the whole ordeal made her sex clench to think about.

"Yes, I enjoyed it very much." The brunette almost blushed. She was relieved and surprised by the girl's answer.   
"You enjoyed it because I enjoyed it?" This was such a foreign concept to the Queen, she had to investigate. 

"Yes... Is that what it means...to be yours?"

"Yes, partly." The Queen answered, still fascinated that someone would derive pleasure from pleasing someone else.   
"But Emma, if I do something that you truly don't like, I do want you to tell me. I mean that. Or if you don't want to do something I ask, we can talk about it." Regina added this urgently, then wondering why she felt the need to say this. If she didn't know better she would have thought the girl was using magic on her. 

"Alright," Emma agreed, slowly putting the pieces together. Feeling suddenly very tired, exhausted, sated, overwhelmed, emotions and thoughts running rapid through her.

"I could use some rest," Regina remarked, noticing how tired the girl looked.  
"Would you join me, my Swan?" The brunette cooed, delighted to see a sheepish smile on the blonde's face.

"Yes..but.." Emma couldn't help but yawn.  
"You were going to tell me about how you learned magic.." She practically pouted. 

"I was hoping you would forget about that." Regina chided, a smile on her face as she reached out to her girl. 

"Never." Emma smiled back, taking the woman's hand as she got up from the table and walked with the brunette into the bedchamber.

"Tomorrow, I promise." Regina flicked her right hand, undressing both of them as she pulled down the covers. 

Emma gasped, slightly surprised at her sudden nudity. It felt better knowing Regina was also undressed, not to mention a very nice distraction. But she wasn't prepared for it, and Regina hadn't asked for it. Then again, she would have willingly undressed for the woman. Even so, it made Emma feel as if Regina thought she had every right to her, the older woman didn't have to ask permission. Emma could feel her heartbeat increase. This, she started to realize, was exactly what it meant to be Regina's, to be her Swan. 

Laying cuddled next to the Queen, these conflicting thoughts running through her head, Emma felt that familiar throbbing in her groin. It was making her turned on to think about the meaning behind those words; 'her Swan'. But she also felt a knot in her stomach. She wondered if she was wrong, if something was wrong with her for wanting to be Regina's. Especially now that she had a better understanding of what that meant. And she worried of the ways she had yet to find out, what it meant.

"What are you thinking about?" Regina asked, pulling her Swan closer, cupping her chin and turning it towards her.

"I'm not a slave.." It wasn't a question, just a statement.

"No. No your not. Don't think of it that way, Emma." Regina's forehead creased. The brunette kissed the top of the blonde's head feeling a bit of relief when the girl snuggled into her.

"Regina.." Emma looked up at the older woman.  
"What if...what if I don't want to do what you ask..?" She felt her heart pounding as she waited for an answer.

"I told you, if that happens, we will discuss it." Regina tried to keep her patience.

"Yes, but... What..what if I do something... Something you don't want me to do?" The girl turned until she could rest her head on her hand, staring at the brunette.

"I would suggest not doing that." The Queen replied slowly, staring into the girl's eyes.

"But...if I..did?" Emma bit her bottom lip looking up nervously.

"Why would you do that?" Regina asked, trying to avoid answering the question.

"Would you..would you...punish me?" Emma's mouth felt dry, her tongue thick.

"I would have to, wouldn't I, Emma?" Regina studied the girl, watching the different array of emotions pass over the pretty face.

"I...I don't know..." The blonde answered softly. She wasn't really sure what kind of a question that was, she wasn't sure it was a question at all. She found herself more conflicted than ever. She liked Regina, she really liked her a lot. And the woman had been mostly only kind to her. She didn't want Regina upset with her, not just because of the recent information. Emma didn't like to think that Regina could punish her, if that was what she wanted to do. She didn't like the thought of being punished. Yet somehow, for some reason she felt her sex ache slightly at the thought. It seemed the mind and the body could have different reactions.   
"I don't want to make you upset, Regina...I don't want you to punish me, but that's not why I don't want to make you upset.." Emma tried to clarify. 

"I know that, dear." Regina petted her Swan, she was such a good girl. The brunette hadn't had anything this good in such a long time, a part of her was desperately afraid of ruining everything.  
"If you just trust me, and do as I ask...well, then everything will be fine." Regina tried to reassure. Emma knew this might be true, but she had a feeling it was easier said than done. 

"Regina..." Emma pipped up after a few moments of reflection.  
"Do you....do you want...to punish me..?"

"No, Emma I don't." The Queen finally responded after a few heartbeats. Emma frowned, she didn't feel like Regina was giving her the truth, at least not in it's entirety.


	13. Part 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I re-wrote this chapter a couple of times, still not super happy with it. But I guess it's sort of (hopefully) a bit of a segue from chapter 12 to chapter 14. I promise to have more substance in the next chapter, and hopefully have it up sooner!!
> 
> Thank you all SO much for your comments, I appreciate it and look forward to it, as always!! Thank you!!!!!
> 
> *****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Emma had a tremendously hard time falling asleep, despite her exhaustion. Thoughts and feelings ran through her at breakneck speed. She wished things with Regina were less complicated, and not just concerning who they each were. Emma didn't understand why they couldn't just enjoy each others company, without the roles or rules. She was beginning to feel more like a possession of Regina's than a companion. So far, a relatively well treated possession, but property none the less. She did want to be Regina's, but she thought perhaps that had a different meaning to the Queen, than it did to herself. 

It seemed, for Regina, it was about ownership, and everything attached to the meaning of that word. For Emma, it was more about loyalty, trust, honesty, and something else. Something she knew better than to say aloud, something a part of her knew was too dangerous to even allow herself to think on. 

Emma was troubled with the knowledge that Regina would and could punish her, if the woman felt so inclined. If the roles were reversed, Emma didn't think she would be at peace with the idea of hurting Regina. It was even more than that though, she believed the Queen wanted to punish her. At least a part of Regina craved this. 

She did feel that Regina cared for her in some capacity, even understood that the woman had allowed her a certain freedom she did not allot to others. Not just a freedom consisting of calling the Queen by her first name, or being allowed to roam the castle, but Regina gave her a freedom within herself. Emma realized that the Queen allowed her to see a part of herself the woman didn't share with others, at least not many.

Still, she didn't understand how it was acceptable, or how one could reconcile hurting someone you cared about. Hurting someone on accident, in a moment of anger, letting your temper get the best of you, that she understood. But this seemed premeditated, and Regina didn't seem to have a problem with that, or even admitting to it. The brunette had said she would have to punish her if the situation called for it. Have to, as if there wasn't another choice. Emma didn't see it as something Regina had to do, it wasn't a necessity. 

'But she wants to..' The girl thought, uncomfortably squirming beneath the covers. Emma knew it the minute she had asked the Queen. She knew that the brunette wanted to punish her, that the woman would get enjoyment from punishing her. She understood, even with her incredibly limited experience, that Regina craved power and control unlike most people she knew. It was obvious that the woman enjoyed it, but it went past pleasure. Regina needed it. To the Queen, this was just another way to exercise her power. 

Equally troubling were Emma's own feelings on the matter. She felt in a constant state of emotional chaos. She began to wonder how Regina might choose to punish her. The girl had gotten in trouble countless times growing up, which usually resulted in a lecture on etiquette or spending the day alone. Emma knew this wasn't what the Queen had in mind, she knew it would be much more physical than that. 

She remembered being spanked a time or two, when she was younger. It hadn't been especially painful, mostly it had been embarrassing. Emma didn't like people to be upset with her, truth be told, the emotional distress of knowing she hadn't lived up to her expectations had always been the worst of it. 

The thought of Regina doing that to her put her stomach in knots. She didn't want the woman to be so disappointed in her, that Regina would feel the need to punish her. But disappointment aside, thinking of the act itself had an odd effect on the girl. She could feel her heart speed up and her groin tightening. It troubled Emma that she would have this reaction.

In the bedroom, she did enjoy the things Regina did to her, did with her. She enjoyed the way the scales where unbalanced, dipping in Regina's favor, giving the brunette all the power. In some ways there was something oddly comforting about it, it took some pressure off of the blonde.

She liked it and she didn't. She wasn't very keen on that sort of arrangement outside the bedchamber. She didn't want to be expected to do whatever Regina wanted. Not outside closed doors. But inside, during the heat of passion, well that was a little different. She couldn't deny the affect it had on her even now. And in a way, she felt rather horrified with herself for finding any arousal in these thoughts or actions. 

Emma sighed, feeling Regina's arm tighten around her, pulling her closer. It felt good, being pressed against the woman's body. Emma did want to be hers, she just wished it was closer to her own meaning of that sentiment. 

 

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Regina woke at the first sign of light breaking through the darkness. She had slept for only a few hours; the Queen had become accustomed to sleepless nights. Although this morning was different. The brunette found herself not wanting for sleep, or even the need to clear her head. 

Regina was feeling somewhere close to content, laying next to her sleeping blonde. Emma was nearly spread across her, head resting on the woman's chest, arm wrapped across her body. The woman smiled, nestling her face into gold curls. She thought back over the night.

Regina was so very pleased with her Swan, it was shocking how perfect the girl had behaved; so very willing to indulge her Queen. The brunette couldn't remember ever feeling so satisfied. In the beginning of the Evil Queen's reign there were times Regina would find moments of guilt over the things she did. The things she enjoyed doing. After the years flew by, she almost missed the guilt as it was replaced by a nothingness. An unhappy, unsatisfied void. 

But not now. Not here with her Swan. It was actually rather disconcerting, but Regina didn't want to think about that part. She wanted to think about the girl in her lap, begging so sweetly. Or the way her Swan had thanked her so sincerely, so reverently. And it seemed the girl actually got enjoyment from pleasing the Queen. Regina was most intrigued by this. She was accustomed to others working for her approval, but out of fear, not because the act gave them any personal pleasure. What she had with her Swan was so much better. So much more fulfilling.

The brunette thought about what the girl had said before bed. She didn't think of Emma as a slave, and she didn't want the girl to think of herself that way. Regina saw the girl as belonging to her, if not yet entirely, she soon would be. But a slave has no title, no power, no pride. That wasn't the case with her girl, she wanted Emma to have all those things, she wanted to give them to the blonde. It was just that Emma belonged to the Queen.

 

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After finally succumbing to sleep, good morning pleasantries, and a warm breakfast, Emma was feeling a bit more at ease than she had while trying to fall asleep. It wasn't that she had forgotten her trepidations, but in the light of day it didn't feel quite as heavy or urgent. And the brunette seemed in such a good mood that morning. She was gentle and indulgent, so much so, it almost seemed Emma had been with a different woman last night. Plus, Regina had promised she would shed some light on her past, on who she was before she became the Evil Queen. Emma planned on holding Regina to that promise, she wasn't sure how, but she wasn't about to give up. The blonde couldn't explain why she felt it was something she had to know, but she had a tugging feeling that this was important. Emma hoped it would be one of the puzzle pieces that made up this complex woman. Maybe if she knew more, she would be better able to understand Regina.

The brunette had suggested a walk after breakfast and Emma saw this as the perfect opportunity to bring up the subject. As they came upon the Queen's apple orchard the blonde spoke up, grabbing Regina's hand reassuringly, she didn't know why, but this seemed to be a difficult subject for the older woman.

"Regina," Emma started softly. "You promised to tell me how you learned magic.." She eyed the woman, trying to figure out her mood. 

The brunette sighed wearily. She wondered why she had ever promised the girl such a thing. As she debated breaking the promise, she looked over at the blonde. Emma held her hand tightly, looking at her with that look, that look Regina had come to love so much. The woman remembered exactly why she had promised to share this miserable little tale with the girl. 

She wasn't just indulging the blonde, although she wouldn't admit to that. So many people thought they knew Regina, the Evil Queen, but the honest truth was that no one knew her. Perhaps she was to blame for this, but it didn't change the fact that she needed this. She needed someone to know who she was, she needed someone to know who she use to be. 

"I know, Emma.." She finally said as she took a seat on one of the benches, smiling as the blonde sat next to her. 

"You don't like to talk about it.." Emma still held the woman's hand, rubbing small circles over her knuckles. 

"No. Not at all, but I did promise." Regina gave the girl a half smile, squeezing her hand. She found it rather adorable and sweet that the girl was obviously trying to comfort her. That wasn't something that happened to Regina often. 

"You don't have to talk about it." Emma felt bad that this was such a difficult subject for the Queen. She didn't want to see the brunette hurt.

Regina sort of scoffed.  
"You think I'm unaware of that, dear?" She arched her brow, missing Emma's meaning entirely. Of course she didn't have to talk about it. She wondered if the blonde thought she had some sort of control in any of this. Perhaps she had been too soft on the girl. 

"Regina, of course I know that." Emma reassured.  
"I just meant... I'm sorry for brining up something that seems painful for you... I don't want you to be sad. And if you ask me not to... Well, I won't ever bring it up again." The blonde stared intently into brown eyes.

Regina let out a sigh, darting her eyes to one of the apple trees. Emma's kindness towards her sometimes felt too heavy. She didn't deserve this treatment, and she knew it.  
"You are very sweet, my Swan." It was said softly, almost regretfully.

Just when Emma thought she would never find out what it was the brunette didn't want to speak on, Regina started.

"My mother was born into a family not of royal blood. Almost peasants. Everyday that they didn't starve to death was a feat in itself." Regina cleared her throat, she seemed almost ashamed of her bloodline. As if Emma was somehow better than her, her bloodline more pure.  
"My mother's mother...my grandmother died when my mother was young. My mother, Cora, she never spoke much of her childhood, and I never met her father, although he was alive when I was a child. I'm assuming they didn't have a good relationship." The woman let out a cold little laugh that Emma didn't understand. 

"You never asked about him?" The blonde studied the woman next to her. 

"It was not wise to question my mother." Regina took a breath before continuing.  
"Cora was...a force to be reckoned with. She wanted more than she was born into, and she would stop at nothing to get it. She learned magic, but she wasn't born with it. Not like you and I. I believe she actually willed herself to have it. At least more or less. That's the type of woman she was." Regina stopped looking over at Emma, who was hanging onto every word.  
" I know people think I'm... terrible, evil, even... But Emma, they have no idea. She was... I would never..." The brunette darted her eyes away. She took a moment, as different emotions played across her face. Emma wanted to run her fingers across the woman's pretty features, she wanted to comfort the brunette, but she didn't want to distract Regina from whatever she was about to say. 

"Anyway.." The woman started again, clearing her throat.  
"To answer your original question, no, my mother did not teach me magic, it was her mentor that taught me. But I suppose it's safe to say that she taught me about magic." 

"What do you mean? How is that different?" Emma asked cautiously. It wasn't that she was afraid of Regina, at least not in this moment. It would be more accurate to say that she was afraid for Regina. 

"Well, she taught me what one could do with magic. That with magic you could get whatever you wanted. Well, almost anything you wanted. That you could bend anyone to your will. She taught me that there are two types of people in this world. Those with power, and those without. That magic is power. And without power.. Without it, you're nothing. Those without power exsist only to serve the powerful.."

"Do you really believe that?" Emma interrupted. Somehow managing not an once of judgment in her voice. She wasn't judging the Queen, it was honest curiosity. 

Regina paused at the question. She wasn't upset with her Swan for asking, but she had never stopped to ask herself the same thing.  
The brunette started, after a few moments of reflection.  
"There was a time," Regina stopped to clear her throat, feeling a tightening in her chest.  
"A time when I didn't believe that at all.." 

"But..you do now?" Emma could see the weariness in the brunette's eyes. The way she seemed almost lost in another time. 

"My mother made sure that I knew this to be true." Regina finally answered, speaking slowly, carefully choosing each word. There was such a heaviness in the air and the brunette was paused, looking at the ground. 

Emma could feel how distraught the older woman was, and in this unguarded moment Regina looked nothing like a Queen, certainly not the Evil Queen. She looked like a sad little girl, and it hurt Emma to see Regina this way. She wondered what the woman's mother had done to make Regina believe this, what she had done that was hurting the woman so much. A part of her didn't want to ask, didn't want Regina to think about something that hurt her so badly. She didn't want to, but she felt like she had to.

Squeezing the woman's hand a little tighter, she inhaled.  
"What happened? I mean.. what did she do?" 

Regina's head snapped up, meeting the blonde's gaze. At first Emma thought perhaps the woman would be angry at her for asking, but within a heartbeat the Queen's eyes turned from rage to a soft sort of sadness. 

"There was one thing, worse than the others." Regina finally spoke, pushing a stray hair from the girl's face.  
"But my mother made sure to teach me this lesson in a thousand different ways." 

"Did she...did she hurt you?" Emma's brow creased, her eyes searching the woman's face. Regina noticed a tightening in the girl's jaw, and an icy flash in her eye. The brunette had seen this look only a few times. It was similar to the look Emma had the first time she used magic and realized it wasn't what her parents had led her to believe.

Regina felt almost as if she couldn't breath. The blonde was upset. No, not upset, angry. Emma was angry for her. People were often angry at Regina, but no one was ever angry for her. Never, not even her father, the only person other than Daniel, that had ever really loved her. Her father had been sad and broken over the things his wife did, but never had he been angry for his daughter. 

"You're... You're angry.." Regina finally said in disbelief. She was looking at the girl as if she was some unknown creature. 

"Of course I'm angry, Regina. Why wouldn't I be?" Emma stared at the woman. The Queen had answered the girl's question without saying anything. But Emma couldn't understand Regina's question. 

"You're angry for me?" The brunette said it again. 

"I care about you Regina." It wasn't said coyly or even especially sweet. Emma almost sounded upset that the older woman hadn't grasped this yet. She wondered what Regina had gone through to make it so hard to accept someone cared about her. 

At first the woman looked like she might cry. Her eyes looked glassy with tears and her chin trembled just a bit. Suddenly she turned away for a moment and when she looked back Emma couldn't see past the stony expression on the Queen's face. 

"We are done with this topic right, now." Regina stood up rigidly, her back to the girl. She wasn't sure if she was going to fly into a rage or burst into tears. The Queen felt raw and vulnerable, she didn't think she could stand for her Swan to see her right now. 

"Let's go riding!" Emma blurted, coming to Regina's side, wrapping her arm around the woman's waist.

"What?" The Queen almost spat, looking at the blonde as if she was insane. 

"You have a stable full of horses, I'm sure there is one I can ride." Emma looked up at the woman, non pulsed. She understood Regina was going through something right now, but she hoped this was a way to get her out of it. When the Queen didn't say anything, just continued to look shocked, Emma slowly started towards the stable. 

"Excuse me? What are you doing? Do you even know how to ride?" Regina started out angry, but by the time she finished speaking her tone had turned to simple exasperation.

"You can teach me." Emma turned her head back towards the Queen, raising her eyebrows and giving the woman a sheepish grin. 

"Well, you've gotten quite bold." Regina arched her brow, a bit of a smile tugging at her lips. 

"Will you please.." Emma started, but the woman disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke. The blonde blinked, wondering where the woman had gone. Just as suddenly she felt two hands taking her by the waist. 

Emma let out a surprised gasp as she turned to see the brunette, her eyes shining mischievously.  
"Yes, I think 'please' is much better than giving me orders." Regina purred, pressing herself against the blonde, raising her brow.

"Please, will you teach me?" Emma asked, loosely laying her arm's around the woman's shoulders. She could tell whatever had hold of Regina earlier, the brunette was free of it now. The woman was in control, she felt safe, Emma knew her Queen needed this.


	14. Part 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, here is chapter 14, which I hope is more satisfying than the last chapter. It could be longer, but I felt there was a good bit to digest in this chapter and if I didn't end it here, I didn't know where I would be able to. You guys are all too kind!!! I appreciate you so much and really hope you enjoy it! I can't wait to get 15 up, but it will probably take me a little longer to get done. As always, you guys are amazing and I can't wait to hear your thoughts!
> 
> THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
> 
> *****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

The ride had gone fairly well considering Emma had no idea what she was doing. It was impressive how talented Regina was. When Emma had asked how she had gotten so good, the brunette told her it was all thanks to practice and hard work.  
The blonde didn't think even if she practiced all day, for the rest of her life, that she would ever be as skilled as the Queen. But the best part of the lesson was that it had gotten Regina out of the state of mind she had been in.

Emma had hated seeing the woman so vulnerable and hurt. She was beginning to understand that Regina covered this up by lashing out, showing her power. It was a way for the brunette to mask her fear and hurt. Emma wanted to learn more about the older woman, even and maybe especially, the things that had made Regina this way. The things Regina didn't want to talk about. But Emma knew this wouldn't be an easy task for either of them, she would need to leave it alone for now and be patient. 

Regina was feeling much better after the ride. Now, with her temper down and her wits about her, the woman realized the sneaky thing the blonde had done. Regina couldn't help but smile when she thought about it. Had anyone else done it she would have been furious, but somehow she felt amused. Of course she couldn't just let her Swan get away with it, not entirely.  
"Tell me, Emma," Regina drawled. She turned to the girl, blocking the door of the stable.  
"Where you always this sly, or is this a new talent?" The brunette closed the space between them, holding the blonde's chin.

"What do you mean?" Emma gave her a wide eyed innocent look, but the smile she was trying to hide gave her away.

"Hmmm... You're lucky I'm so fond of you dear." Regina purred, pushing her mouth against the girl's soft, receptive lips. Emma may have shown a bit of a bolder side today, but right now she was the Queen's.

"I really do care about you, Regina." The blonde murmured against plump lips. She wanted the woman to accept this, know it to be the truth. Emma wrapped her arms around the woman's waist, pressing herself against the brunette.

"Mmmm that's enough," Regina broke their embrace, and she didn't say anything in response to Emma's comment. But she was smiling.  
"It wouldn't be proper to push you against the straw and take you right here in the stable. Would it, my Swan?" Regina teased, playfully tugging the girl's hair. She loved the surprised look the blonde gave her and the way she blushed. Regina turned to walk out of the stable.  
"Come on Emma, don't pout." She smirked to herself as she walked out. Regina could just imagine the girl turning crimson. 

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After lunch Regina had told Emma she had some things she needed to attend to, and that the girl should find something to do in the meantime. Emma wondered what it was that the woman had to do whenever she said this. Regina didn't have a council or allies, not that the girl could tell. She almost followed Regina, but thought better of it for now. She didn't think she would be able to get away with it, and she didn't want to push her luck with Regina anymore than she had.

Emma found herself back in the library pouring over that strange book. It was almost hypnotizing. The more she looked at the book, the less she believed it was make believe. True, it was filled with things she had never seen, but there was something very real about it. 

For one thing, the book wasn't a story, it didn't have any of the elements a story would have. It read more informational than anything else. Emma couldn't make sense of where or how Regina had acquired the book. She also couldn't understand why she was so enthralled by the book. It seemed important for some reason, like it meant something, almost as if it was connected to her somehow.

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Talking about her past had Regina thinking about the two people that had helped shape her into the woman she was today. Her mother had always been the villian of Regina's life. The only person she was afraid of, even now she was afraid of the woman. Regina almost shivered trying to rid her mind of thoughts about her mother.  
However, there was someone else. Someone the brunette was not afraid of, someone she thought she could beat. Maybe she already had. Standing in front of her mirror, Regina stared at her reflection a moment, pushing a stray hair from her face. She smiled.

"Mirror.." She purred, "let's see if that imp has gone mad yet." The Queen let her hand rest on her hip as she waited.

The mirror rippled as it came into view. Rumple had returned to living in his castle, but other than being released by the sickeningly forgiving Charmings, time had not been kind to the man. He was murmuring to himself, laughing occasionally and madly spinning his straw. 

"My, my dear Rumple." Regina started haughtily.  
"You don't look well," she laughed.

The imp let out a high pitched laugh.  
"I don't but you do." He said in a sing song voice. 

"Flattery doesn't suit you. It's rather disturbing." The brunette curled her lip. The man just laughed and continued to spin.  
"What do you plan to do with all that gold, Rumple?"

"Just a way to pass the time, dearie." He paused to look up at her, "you look different.... less..evil!" He giggled.

"Evil isn't born, it's made." Regina was starting to regret her decision to contact the terrible little man. He was brining on a massive headache and the brunette wondered if he was even capable of understanding what she wanted to tell him. She couldn't gloat if his mind had turned to mush. 

"Whatever you say Your Majesty!" He smiled, studying her face.

"Why are you looking at me like that? I think you've finally lost it, imp." Regina frowned.

"Do you ever regret killing your father in vain?" Rumple smirked, standing up from his seat and walking closer towards the image of the Queen.

"How dare you judge me!" Regina's voice raised, as did her temper. She hated the way the imp always knew how to get under her skin. How to hurt her.

"Oh no dearie, I'm just curious." 

"It wasn't in vain, I have all the ingredients to cast the curse whenever I please." Regina looked at the man stoically, but she hated how defensive she had sounded.

Rumple laughed, rocking on his heels and drumming his fingers together.  
"Not anymore!" He exclaimed.

"You've gone mad, dear." The brunette tried to sound superior this time, but she had a sinking feeling in her stomach. Regina didn't want to hear anymore, she didn't even care about rubbing her Swan, her happiness in Rumple's face. 

As she turned away, about to wave the image away, the man sang out.  
"You don't have the heart of the thing you love the most!" This stopped the Queen in her tracks, she felt her blood go cold. Slowly she turned around.

"What are you talking about?" The brunette felt chocked. 

"You know what I mean, it's the same reason you look like you aren't completely dead inside!" Rumple laughed again. 

Regina had to restrain herself from breaking the mirror with her bare fist. 

"You're insane. I have no idea what you're babbling on about. This is a complete waste waste of my time!" 

Regina whipped her hand through the air, dismissing the image. She heard the man call out before dissipating.  
"Whatever you say, dearie!" His insane laugh seemed to ring off the walls.

Regina wanted to scream and cry. Why couldn't she ever seem to be allowed to enjoy anything. Her head spun, she kept replaying what Rumple had said. It couldn't be true. It wasn't. She cared for the girl, she enjoyed her Swan, even liked her a lot, but Regina didn't love the girl. She couldn't love her, not in a romantic way, not in anyway. 

Regina stormed out of the room. She needed something to calm her nerves, and unfortunately her Swan would not do the trick. She needed a drink.

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The brunette sipped her port, sitting in the solarium. This room always calmed her, and the port didn't hurt either. She thought about Emma, how much she enjoyed her Swan. She thought about what Rumple had said. 

The man had lost his mind. Regina told herself it made her just as crazy if she paid any mind to his words.  
"Old Rumple is spinning into madness," she smiled at her own pun. 

She was happy, but she was not in love. Despite whatever the awful man said. Regina was happy for once, and she wasn't going to let it slip away from her. Certainly not due to the meandering thoughts of a madman. Regina finished her wine before setting out for her Swan.

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"What are you doing?" It was icy, and tense, and it made Emma jerk her head up when she heard it.

Emma looked up to see Regina standing in front of the desk, hands on her hips, that angry look on her face. Even now the woman was terrifyingly beautiful. The blonde, gulped, the book felt as if it was burning in her hands.

"What are you doing?" The brunette asked again. It was slower, calmer, more chilling than before.

"I.. Regina, I was.. I'm just looking at these books." Emma said it as calmly as possible. The Queen had told her she was free to use the library.

"No. You're looking at this book." The woman bent down stabbing the book with her index finger as she spoke.

"I picked it up off the shelf!" Emma was half terrified, but she couldn't hide how irritated she was. She looked up at the woman. The blonde and brunette stared at one another a few tense moments.  
"Regina," the blonde started, her voice surprisingly even.  
"It was on the shelf." Emma gestured towards the bookcase, but kept her gaze on the Queen.

The brunette pursed her lips. It may not have appeared as if the woman was trying to restrain herself but she was fighting with everything in her. Regina could hear her heart beating in her ears, she couldn't believe this.  
"So, you've already said." The Queen hissed between clenched teeth, her hands balled into fists.

The woman seemed close to the edge and the girl didn't want to push the Queen. The blonde thought back to their talk last night and her revelation about Regina. She wondered if the woman would use this as an excuse to exercise her power and control.

"I wasn't doing anything wrong!" Emma stood up from the chair, feeling angry and hurt and confused.  
"What is it? It must be something if you're so upset." The book obviously meant something to the Queen. 

When Emma asked about the book it sent the brunette off. After everything with the imp, then coming in here to find the girl with that book, it was terrifying. Regina felt like things were spiraling out of control. Before she even knew it the Queen had the girl's hips pinned against the desk with her body, leaning into her face as she spoke.

"There are some things, Em-ma, that are not your business." Regina spat, twisting the blonde's name.

"If your going to punish me, I should at least know why." Emma dared to meet the Queen's eyes, her heart thumping in her chest. The brunette didn't know how the girl managed to sound both defiant and meek at the same time. 

Regina inhaled sharply, she felt like she was seeing Emma for the first time since she walked into the room. Her Swan, who was looking at her with questioning, hurt eyes. The woman wished she hadn't reacted the way she did. But what was that book doing in the library, she wondered if she had really been so careless. It wasn't the blonde's fault, but now Regina didn't know how to fix this. She had a terrible headache, even the light was hurting her eyes.

"I'm not going to punish you, Emma." The older woman moved back a step, unpinning the girl from the desk.  
"It's not your fault." That was as close to an apology as the Queen could manage right now. 

"What is it? Where is it?" Emma extended the book to the dark haired woman, like a peace offering.

"It's nothing." Regina snatched the book from the girl, not bothering to look at it. She didn't need to, the woman had it committed to memory from cover to cover. 

Emma stared at the Queen. Even if alarm bells hadn't been sounding off in her, she would have known the woman was lying. She wanted to know now, more than ever what all this Maine business was about.

"Why were you so upset...if it's nothing?" Emma asked herself why she was pushing the woman, told herself to just let it go. But she couldn't, she had to know.

"I told you, it's nothing, just a book." Regina took a deep breath, trying to center herself. She ran her hand through the girl's soft locks, relieved when Emma didn't shy away.  
"Someone gave it to me... A long time ago. Someone I thought was my friend. But they weren't. I just haven't thought about them in a long time... Seeing this.. book.. It just... I would rather not be reminded of them." Regina silently prayed to any God or power that might listen.

"Why do I feel like it's more than that?" Emma bit her lip, eyes moving across the Queen's face as if she would find the answer there.

Regina stepped back and studied the girl for a moment.  
"I don't know why you feel that way, dear. But you're going to need to find satisfaction in that answer, because I'm not willing to discuss this further." The brunette crossed her arms, looking at the girl, challenging her.

Emma didn't see or sense the rage that had previously been present in the woman, but she felt like she was on thin ice. She could tell the brunette was trying to gain control, not just of the situation, but of herself. Still, the blonde couldn't just drop the subject so easily, especially in light of the older woman's reaction.  
"But... Regina.." Emma was silenced before she could finish.

"Enough!" The Queen's free hand was faced palm out, gesturing for the girl to cease.  
"I am just about out of patience, Emma. Please." Regina was firm and demanding until the last word. The last part was soft, and sad, and begging. All together it sounded like a warning and a plea.

Emma receded.  
"I'm sorry, Regina." She finally uttered. The girl wasn't really angry with Regina, not anymore. It was hard for Emma to stay angry with the woman, especially when she could see all the vulnerability the brunette tried to hide from the world. But that didn't mean that the girl wasn't irritated or frustrated with her. And she certainly wasn't about to forget the book anytime soon. 

"It's not your fault, I had forgotten that it was here. But Emma, don't bring it up again." Regina arched her brow, waiting for the girl to respond.

Emma bit her lip, leaning against the desk. She didn't want to promise something she knew she couldn't keep, but she didn't want to push the woman either.  
"I understand." She settled on this, hoping it would appease the Queen.

"Good. You're free to continue using the library, or anything else I've given you permission to do. Right now, I need to be alone for a while, Emma." Regina's voice was heavy, and she turned her back to the girl as she finished the statement. 

The girl didn't know why this in itself felt like a punishment. Surely everyone needed time to themselves, the Queen was no different. But the blonde hated feeling as if Regina was upset with her, even though she knew it wasn't her fault.

"Will I see you for dinner?" Emma called out, wincing at the whine in her voice.

"I'm not sure." Regina didn't stop or turn around as she walked out the door. 

Emma sighed, falling into the chair. She felt rather dejected. The girl tried to console herself, but it was halfhearted. She looked around the room, trying to make sense of everything that had transpired. She had to stop herself from running after the woman. Maybe it was best for Regina to cool off a bit, hopefully she would be feeling better by dinner.

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Emma waited, none too patiently, for her Queen to return. As the sun set, and there was no sign of Regina, the girl began to lose patience and she started to worry, more than she already had. The blonde hoped that if she went into the dining hall she would find the woman there. 

Unfortunately when Emma burst into the room, she found it empty. She was crestfallen that the woman still didn't want to see her. Mentally, she tried to correct that thought. She told herself the Queen just needed to rest, but it didn't feel that way. She wanted to cry.

As she was looking around one of the servants entered. It was the same older woman that usually served them dinner.  
"Have a seat Princess, I'll have dinner served." The woman spoke for the first time.

"No thank you, I'm not hungry." Emma sighed, disappointed. Any other time she would have asked the woman her name and conversed with her. But not now, she had no interest in talking with anyone but Regina.

"Oh, come now dear. The Queen will be upset if her Swan doesn't eat."

"Excuse me?" The girl snapped her head towards the woman, her cheeks flushed. Emma was surprised and slightly put off that this woman referred to her as the Queen's Swan. Yes, Regina called her that, and mostly she liked it, even as she was beginning to understand the meaning of that statement. But it was personal and it felt rather intimate, it was between herself and the dark haired woman. Having this stranger refer to her in this manner was unsettling. She felt like a possession, a pet.

"I'm sorry, princess. But are you not the Queen's? She gave me specific orders to see that you were tended to." The woman spoke to her as if she were a silly child. 

"My name is Emma, and I do thank you, but I'm not hungry." The blonde spoke harsher than she would have liked, marching past the older woman, out of the dining hall.

She wondered what Regina had told her servants, as she walked without purpose through the castle. Emma was agitated, she was angry and bothered. She understood that Regina needed control, she needed power, and most of the time it felt good to give it to the woman. But this was a bit different. Emma liked feeling as if she belonged to the Queen, but she saw Regina as mutually belonging to her. Sure, the brunette was the Queen, in and out of the bedchamber, and yes Emma would submit to the woman, but only because the girl knew Regina craved this sort of devotion. But she wasn't a pet to be paraded around. 

Before she realized where she was or what she was doing, Emma found herself in front of the Queen's bedchamber. Not bothering to think before she did it, the girl raised her hand and knocked firmly on the door. As she pulled her hand away, Emma took a deep breath, finally realizing what she had done. She waited, completely at a loss of what she planned to say or do.


	15. Part 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 15.....
> 
> As always, I wanted to get SO much more into this chapter, but I'm crossing my fingers, hoping to get it into the next one! I can't wait to hear what you all think of it, good or bad, although of course I hope you enjoy it! 
> 
> You guys are all so great for reading and commenting! I just love you all!!! Thank you from the bottom of my cold little heart!! 
> 
> For those of you in the U.S. I hope you all have a lovely holiday next week!! I hope to have another chapter update before too long, but it may have to wait until after the holidays. Either way, I will have it up just as soon as I can!!   
> Thank you again, and please let me know what you think!
> 
> ****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Regina paced across the stone tile of her bedchamber, the staccato of her heeled boots reverberating off the walls. The instigating book lay on it's spine in a far corner of the room, having been propelled against the wall. On top and around the book, shard remains of every breakable knickknack or trinket within reach of the Queen littered the floor. The brunette wrung her hands, talking to herself.

Of all the things in this world, the last thing the Queen expected to see when she walked into the library was the blonde bent over that book. That stupid book. How could she have been so careless. The brunette thought she had packed all of those things away years ago. 

Regina chastised herself for the oversight. Had she not just spoken to the imp, she may have been able to keep her temper and her wits about her, but it had jolted her so severely. The woman didn't want to think about curses, or that other world, or dead fathers. She didn't want to think on what she was capable of. And she certainly didn't want to think about the fact that she may love that blonde girl.

The Queen shook her head.  
'No. Absolutely not. That's completely unacceptable."

When the Queen killed her father, she had made a promise to herself. She would never love anyone or anything again. Her mother was right, as much as she hated to admit that truth. Love is weakness, and Regina never had the luxury of being weak. It had been an easy promise to keep, until now.

The woman stopped pacing, gazing at her reflection in the mirror.

"You've been too indulgent with the girl," the Queen told her reflection.  
"And you've allowed yourself to get carried away in the joy of having a shiny new toy. You've been foolish and sloppy and now you have to clean up your mess and take back control. The blonde is just a pretty little pet, that needs to be put in her place. Nothing more." The woman paused, looking away she took a deep breath before continuing.  
"That girl will never...love...you." She forced herself to say to the mirror, even as her voice trembled and broke.  
"No one will...ever...love you." As she choked out this statement, Regina felt the dam holding back her tears begin to break. It made the Queen nauseous to see the tears running down her face. Unable to stomach the sight of such weakness the brunette threw her first against the mirror. The glass broke with a hissing crack, starting in the middle and webbing out to the sides and corners. The woman slammed her hand against it a second time, then a third. She continued until her hand throbbed and her reflection was completely obscured by blood and cracks. 

Regina backed away, somewhat stunned by her handy work. She took a deep breath, making her way to the chaise. Her hand was bloody, but she didn't care. The throbbing would stand as a reminder. Better to have a broken hand than a broken heart. 

Sitting on the lounger, Regina did finally take a look at her hand. It wasn't broken, just sore and badly cut. It wasn't life threatening, she could heal it later. The woman laid her head against the chaise, closing her eyes. She wasn't trying to sleep, that would be futile. The woman was just trying to get a hold of herself. 

The Queen didn't know how long she laid there in this manner. Thoughts racing in and out of her mind, images of her pushing her hand through her father's chest. His gasp and surprise at the intruder, the heartbroken way he had looked at her as realization of what was to happen dawned on him. The way his warm heart thumped and pulsated in her palm, she could imagine it even now, all these years later.   
'No one should ever love me.' Regina thought to herself, wiping away the tears that ran down her cheeks. Feeling that rage and self hatred bubble to the surface, the brunette threw her injured fist against the lounger, wincing in pain as she assaulted the chaise. 

A knock at the door interrupted the Queen's tantrum. Regina groaned, she knew it was the blonde, and she knew she was in no frame of mind to see the girl. She didn't want Emma to see her this way, and she was afraid of what she might do. The brunette stayed seated, holding her breath, hoping the girl would go to her own room. 

After a few moments another knock came, followed by a small soft voice.  
"Regina...?" Emma stood on the other side of the door, waiting. The steam that had brought the girl to the Queen's bedchambers was quickly dissipating. Moments ago Emma had been so angry, and she was still bothered, but the sinking feeling in her stomach and the silence behind the door was beginning to dominate her thoughts. She raised her hand to knock again, when the door swung open.

"Did I not tell you that I needed to be alone?" The Queen arched her brow quizzically, her gaze bearing into the blonde as she stood in the doorway. 

"I...I wanted to talk to you..." Emma clumsily backed up a few feet. The air was thick, making it suddenly hard to breath.   
"Are you...alright?" The girl asked, having noticed the change in Regina's voice. 

The Queen pursed her lips, cradling her injured hand.  
"Perhaps you should spend more time worrying about yourself." Regina tried to warn the girl. 

Emma furrowed her brows, the corners of her mouth dipping down, she met the brunette's gaze, trying to find her Regina. The eyes looking back at her were glassy and cold, impenetrable. Feeling the hairs on the back of her neck stand up, a shiver ran down the blonde's spine as if a chill blew through the hall. Emma flicked her eyes away, scanning over the woman.

"Regina.. You're hurt." The blonde reached out to the woman's injured hand, only now noticing the injury.

"I am fine." The Queen replied tersely, her mouth like a vice around each word as she pulled her hand away. Sometimes she couldn't stand how the girl pretended to care for her. No one cared for or about her, ever. Regina was foolish for allowing herself to believe otherwise, and the blonde had been put on a pedestal for far too long. The brunette smiled in a way that made Emma cringe, feeling a lump in her throat. The woman's full lips curled, almost snarling, showing off perfect white teeth.

The girl went to take another step back, but the Queen grabbed hold of her wrist with the uninjured hand. Emma could feel the woman's fingers tightening around her. She felt as if her throat was closing up, her tongue thick. Emma tried to break the woman's hold, jerking her arm back, but the Queen tightened her grip around the blonde's wrist, fingers pushing into her skin. The older woman smiled cruelly, holding the girl in place.  
"Where are you going, dear?"

"I.. I thought you wanted to be left alone?" Emma stammered, losing some of the courage she had recently been so full of. She wished she had waited until tomorrow to talk to the woman. Maybe by then she would have resembled something closer to the Regina she knew. 

"Yes, I had asked that of you hadn't I? But now you're here, because you were so worried for me, wasn't that what you said?" The Queen arched her brow, tapping her foot against the stone. 

Emma's brow creased further, the woman sounded so condescending. As if the girl and her feelings for the woman were some sort of joke.   
"I am worried about you." A desert in the blonde's mouth, she was barely able to cough the words out.   
"Of course you are. I'm sure this wouldn't have anything to do with the book, would it, Princess?" The woman hissed as she brought her face to the girl's, nose to nose they stood. Emma licked her lips, trying to steady her erratic breathing. She willed herself not to break away from the Queen's stare.

"It has nothing to do with that!" Emma pushed the words out of her mouth, as she pulled her wrist loose, her jaw clenched and pronounced as she spoke.  
"That book must mean a lot to you, for you to be so upset. But I'm not the one that brought it up."  
The girl paused, her eyes creasing into slits.  
"And I'm not the one that made the mistake of leaving it there. So, if you don't want to talk to me about it, then don't!" The girl spat, her hands rolled into fists at her side. 

The Queen raised her brow, looking at the blonde in disbelief, she took a step forward, pushing the girl back with the force of her body. Thinking momentarily, about striping the insolent blonde and throwing her in one of the dungeon cells.   
'A few days down there by herself may help the girl learn her place.' The Queen curled her lips, beginning to move her hand back to strike the girl, when the blonde made Regina pause.

Taking a lesson from the Queen, Emma quickly stepped towards the woman, roughly pushing against the brunette's body. Meeting resistance and a surprised hiss from the dark haired woman, she placed her hands on either side of the door frame for support. Attempting the difficult task of regaining her previous footing. Regina's usually soft and warm body felt hard and rigid, unmoving against the blonde.   
"I knocked on your door because I missed you and I was upset. I care about you, Regina, not some dusty old book!" Emma cried out, refusing to back down from the woman as she stared into dark eyes. For a moment she thought she saw a flicker of the woman she knew. 

Regina withdrew her hand from the air, clutching her throat tightly, as she took a step back into the room.  
"Emma," she gasped, her voice soft, causing the blonde to raise her brows, perplexed by the change.   
"I think..." Regina drew a large breath.  
"I think it would be best if you stayed in your own room tonight." The woman's expression turned to stone, completely unreadable.

"W-what..?" The girl wrinkled her forehead, utterly crestfallen, she tried to take another step towards the brunette, but Regina's hand clutched her shoulder, stopping the girl in her tracks. It was firm and unyielding, but it wasn't overly harsh or domineering, something had shifted slightly in the older woman. 

"Please, Emma." It escaped Regina's lips in a hoarse whisper. The woman's face remained expressionless, but her voice was all urgent pleading. Gently, almost apologetic, the woman pushed the blonde out of the doorway, unresponsive to the girl's pleas.

"Why are you doing this?" She heard the girl cry out as she shut the door, unable to look at the blonde. Regina felt like her heart was being crushed, but she wanted to keep her Swan safe. She didn't have a choice. She held her breath, leaning against the door, slowly letting her body slump down as she listened to Emma bang on the door. Finally after a few minutes passed all noise ceased and Regina released her silent sobs.

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A soft and steady pitter patter of rain began to fall as Emma made her way to the stables. The rain felt good, cooling off her burning skin. The blonde felt like she was on fire, not sure if she was going to cry or start screaming. She had run from Regina's room, tears stinging her eyes, not sure where she was going. Her mind couldn't focus, thoughts of Regina spinning through her head. 

Emma burst through the stable doors, the commotion spooking the horses. The animals neighed and some bucked, while others paced back and forth nervously. The girl didn't stop to think, or plan, she scanned the stable until she found the saddle she had used that day. Lugging the heavy and cumbersome piece of leather she stalked over to the horse she had rode. A pretty little cream colored filly, as she was about to attempt saddling the horse, she stopped. Spinning around her eyes lay on the large black horse Regina seemed to favor. Pushing her hair away from her face, Emma made her way over to the steed. 

It took several tries, both horse and girl were depleted of patience, but Emma finally strapped the saddle securely onto the large animal. The horse was pacing back and forth, eyes wide and alert. As the girl pulled on the reigns, the horse reared and tried to get away, but Emma, in her fit of anger somehow managed to keep hold on the beast. Finally able to mount the horse, the blonde attempted to head the horse into the words, away from the castle. 

It was clumsy, to say the least, as the horse fought the girl with every step, bucking and trying to shake the blonde off his back. Against all odds, the two finally made it into the forest. It was impossibly dark, and the rain began to come down harder, sticking the girl's hair and clothing to her skin. Without a plan in mind, Emma steered haphazardly. She didn't want to return home, the girl didn't have a home. The blonde felt a few tears begin to fall as she pushed the horse further into the forest.

Emma wasn't sure how much time had passed, but she was beginning to feel very cold, and truth be told, a bit afraid. She couldn't catch her bearings, unable to see far and her mind clouded by thoughts. The girl thought about turning the horse around and returning to the castle, and she would have, except she had no idea what direction the castle was in. She turned the horse to the right, trying to trace back their steps. As Emma rounded a large oak tree she felt something under her arms, as she tried to brush it away the phantom tightened around her, over and under her shoulders. The horse picked up speed, turning in the opposite direction.

Emma found herself dismounted and suspended in the air by what, on further inspection, appeared to be branches. Every time she fought against her bounds, the branches grew tighter. The girl watched as Regina's horse ran off out of site. 

An idea finally came to the blonde, holding her palms out, she attempted to break the enchanted branches with her magic. Just as when she struggled against their hold, the branches grew tighter every time the girl's magic hit them. Having spent what energy she had left, Emma begrudgingly gave up, unable to do anything but wait. She knew without a doubt, that Regina was the one behind this. Her heart filled with dread as she realized that the woman would find out what she had done. 

As if summoned by her thoughts, Emma heard the Queen in the distance, barking orders to her guards. Panicking, the blonde began to struggle against the branches clutching her. Crying out when they became too tight. 

"Stop fighting, it will only make it worse, Princess." Emma heard the icy growl below her. Unable to hold in the whimper that escaped her lips at the sight of the brunette. Regina's hands rested on her hips, her hair pulled up into a high pony tail, a cruel snarl played across her mouth.

"I'm so sorry..." Emma started to apologize but was cut off.

"Silence!" The woman screamed, loosing the icy cold exterior, her burning rage bubbling to the surface. The Queen's guards surrounded the tree, waiting for an order. Emma's heart beat in her ears, without thinking she began to struggle again.

"Please, Regina..please I'm.." The blonde began to cry.

"I said shut up!" The brunette stomped her boot in the mud. Taking a second to inhale, then exhale. The woman smoothed her gloved hand down her bodice, trying to get control of herself. Snapping her fingers, the branches released the girl, dropping her with a thud onto the wet dirt in front of the Queen's feet. Emma let out a small cry as she quickly pushed her hands into the mud, trying to get up. 

The dark haired woman was fast, and had better footing. It felt like within the blink of an eye, the Queen had a hand wrapped roughly in the girl's hair as she pulled her upright, not wasting a second as she forced her backwards against the oak tree. The brunette's body pinned the blonde in place, as the girl squirmed beneath her. The Queen got an odd sort of delight from feeling the blonde withering under her. She pressed her hips into the girl, bringing her face to the girl's. She could feel the blonde's heart thumping wildly just beneath her creamy skin, and the way the girl's chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath sent a jolt to the woman's sex. 

Emma brought her hands up in front of her, gripping the woman's shoulders in an attempt to push her away. But the Queen didn't even seem to feel it. The woman tugged harder on the blonde locks, causing Emma to wince and raise her left hand to her hair, trying to free it from the brunette's grasp. 

"Please Regina, I'm sorry!" Emma pleaded, her head pulled back and her eyes closed. 

The Queen moved her mouth over the girl's ear, waiting a few painful minutes, her warm breathing hitting the girl's skin, leaving goosebumps in it's wake.  
"You haven't even begun to understand the meaning of that word. But don't worry, I'm prepared to teach you, Em-ma." The woman whispered almost seductively, letting her lips linger over the girl's skin.

"Stop, please. Regina, please.." Emma pushed herself further against the tree, the bark scratching her back through the fabric of her dress. The girl tried moving to either side of the woman and slipping away, but the brunette had her body pushed against her so tightly it was difficult just to breath. 

"You're lucky I'm so fond of you, Princess. If anyone else stole my horse I would have killed them by now. But you, my pretty little pet, my gift to you is a lesson." The Queen spoke in a terrifyingly sweet tone. She pulled the girl by her hair, away from the tree a step before pushing her roughly. The blonde lost her balance from the force and the slickness of the ground caused her to fall. Throwing her hands in front of her, in an effort to break her fall, Emma landed on her hands and knees in the mud. Gasping for breath she realized this was exactly where the Queen wanted her. 

"Please, please not here, not like this. Please Regina not in front of your guards!" The girl begged desperately, tears running down her face. She looked up at the brunette, pleading her. Emma fought the instinct to push herself to her feet, hoping this position would sate the Queen somewhat. 

Thankfully the brunette paused. The girl was right. She needed to be punished but not here in the rain and mud in front of the guards. Even as angry as the Queen was, she wasn't about to share any part of her pet.  
"Get up." The woman growled, standing above the girl, hands on her hips. Emma clumsily got to her feet, mud caking her dress, she started to slip, but the dark haired woman grabbed her by the elbow, steadying her. The Queen pulled the blonde against her, feeling the girl almost hyperventilating, her chest heaving, breath audibly ragged and laced with sobs.  
In a flash of purple smoke, the two women were back inside the Queen's bedchambers. 

"Remove that filthy garment. I don't want forest all over my bedchamber." The Queen snarled as she pushed the girl out of her body space. The brunette watched the girl with a cool look of superiority.

"N-no." Emma shook her head, tears running down her face. She wrapped her arms around, hugging herself as she shivered.

"No?" The Queen laughed cruelly, raising her eyebrow in disbelief.  
"Very well, I'll remember that when I'm punishing you." She took a step towards the trembling girl flicking her wrist, the soiled gown disappeared, leaving the blonde in her slip and underwear. Emma's brow creased, letting out a little whimper as she silently pleaded with the terrifying Queen in front of her.

"Bend over the bed and raise your slip." The brunette's voice was cold, harsh, void of any compassion. The only emotion Emma was able to pick up on from the older woman came from the gleam in her eyes. An almost gleeful, predatory shine that made the blonde's heart sink.

"No.. Regina.. Please not like this. I'm so sorry...please.." Emma put her hands up as she began to back away, feeling the edge of the woman's bed at the back of her leg. Shaking her head and pleading with Regina to forgive her. "Please don't. Please... I'm not.. I'm not a slave... or a pet..."

"No, that's exactly what you are!" The woman flew to the blonde, grabbing her by the face as she used her thigh to maneuver the girl onto the bed.  
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but I recall you came to me, princess! Did you not beg me to torture you, kill you if I wanted? I believe you said I could do whatever I pleased with you, as long as I didn't send you home. Is that true?" The Queen was leaning over the heaving girl, her hand holding the blonde down by her shoulder, she placed her knee onto the bed between the girl's legs, giving her no escape.   
"Answer me! Am I lying?" The brunette demanded when the blonde didn't answer.

"N-no, I did.... I did say..that." The girl choked between sobs. Emma tried to get up, but the woman pressed down on her shoulder, using her position as leverage, she kept the blonde in place.

"Very good." A terrible smile crossed the brunette's face.  
"Now, I'm not torturing you or killing you, nor am I sending you anywhere. I would say I've been quite generous with you." The woman got up, raising her brow as if challenging the girl. As if she was daring her to be disobedient.

"Now, turn around and lift your slip, pet." The Queen drawled, spending special attention on the last word, as she spat it out. She wanted the girl to know where she stood. 

Emma shook her head, but complied with the woman. She couldn't seem to get her sobbing under control, she felt as if she may throw up. Desperately she searched her mind for something to do or say, something that would make her Queen come back to her. Slowly she rolled her heaving body onto her stomach, feeling utterly debased and heartbroken. 

"Slip." She heard the woman order, feeling a tug on the hem of her garment, she reached her shaking hands down and painfully pulled the fabric up, feeling the cold air on her damp skin, she shivered. When the slip was around her waist she felt the woman's hand roughly grab the material of her underwear and pull the garment around her knees. The blonde trembled, heart in her throat, thoroughly humiliated. Emma whimpered as she felt the woman's hand press firm against her back, pining her down as the Queen got into position.

Emma sobbed into the sheets, not even bothering to fight against the older woman. She chanced a look back. The Queen had magically procured a wooden instrument, some sort of paddle. She raised it into the air, ready to come down on the girl.

"Your Majesty, please don't do this!" Emma cried out, shutting her eyes and looking away.  
"Regina, I know you want this, I know you want to do this, I'll let you. I promise I will...please I want to give you what you want, but not like this. Please don't do it this way...not like this...Please...I love you, Regina!" The blonde screamed out, breaking into sobs as she dug her fingers around the covers, grasping. Uncontrollably crying and heaving she waited for the paddle to come down on her. She waited for the stinging pain, burrowing her face into the sheets. She waited so long her sobbing subsided a bit, her breath still shallow. 

After a few moments she felt a hand rest gently on the small of her back. Expecting a blow that never came, being so tightly wound up, Emma jumped at the sensation, a tiny whimper escaping her lips. She hadn't noticed the depression in the bed next to her, where the dark haired woman sat, deflated.   
"Shhh..it's alright..you're alright."

The woman's voice was raspy and thick, her hand leaving the blonde's back momentarily. Emma felt the brunette pull her slip down, covering her exposed bottom. Heartbeats passed and the girl didn't move, as the heaving of her body began to slow and steady, the blonde reached down, pulling her underwear back up. Emma didn't get up, she wasn't sure she possessed the strength to do so. Instead the girl brought her legs up, wrapping her arms around her knees as she curled into a fetal position, crying only lightly, now. 

"You can't, Emma." Regina's voice was strained.  
"Why.." The woman shook her head, cautiously resting her hand on the girl's back again. Regina cleared her throat.  
"I don't want to.. I didn't.."

"Y-yes...yes you do, Regina." Emma interrupted, it wasn't an accusatory statement, rather it was said in a matter of fact tone. Her voice hoarse from crying, still curled up facing away from the brunette. The two remained in silence, the air in the room heavy, almost crushingly so.

Finally Regina softly brought her hands to the blonde's sides, gently prodding her to turn over, to allow Regina to look at her. The brunette was met with resistance at first.  
"Please Emma, please look at me." The woman leaned over and whispered into the girl's ear.

Emma wiped at her face, taking a few deep breaths, she slowly turned to face the woman. Her breathing slightly laborious. Regina studied the girl's tear stained face, her eyes bloodshot from crying, patches of dirt marking her pretty face. The way the girl looked at her felt like a knife in Regina's heart. Anger, hatred, disgust, those were emotions the brunette could understand, those were the looks she had grown accustomed to. But that wasn't what she saw in the blonde's face. There was hurt, that was one Regina could understand, but beyond that she saw compassion, possibly forgiveness, and something that vaguely looked like love.   
"You can't." Was all the woman was able to squeeze out, her throat feeling as if it was swelling shut. She blinked a few times, rubbing the girl's side softly with her hand. Emma didn't say anything, just continued to look at her.  
"Emma... You should hate me." The older woman finally said.

"Maybe I should." The blonde replied dryly. Closing her eyes for a moment, before continuing.  
"Do you do everything you should?"

With the same gentle caution one would use on a scared animal, Regina brought her hand to the girl's face, gently caressing the blonde. Emma's hand flew to the woman's, covering it and holding it to her face.   
"Emma... You deserve better.."

"Are you telling me you want me to leave?" The girl asked flatly, but Regina caught the flash of anger in her eyes.

"No, dear. I don't want you to leave. I should make you leave, though." Emma opened her mouth to say something, but Regina put her hand up, motioning the girl to wait.  
"Please, let me say this, because you need to hear it, Emma...and I'm afraid if I don't say it now, I never will.". The older woman looked at the girl, waiting for a sign of understanding. After a moment Emma nodded, brow creased in concentration.  
"Thank you," Regina said softly, rubbing her thumb in circles over the girl's cheek.  
"I should make you go. If I had any decency left in me... I would. I would make you leave tonight. Because you do deserve better, you really do, and I... I know that. But, Emma... I'm...I'm not a good person, I don't want you to go, and to be honest... I have no plans of letting you go...even if you wanted to, which you should.." Regina paused to look at the girl, gauge her response. The brunette was surprised to see the blonde still staring back at her, something like determination on her face.  
"I want you, Emma, so I'm keeping you. You belong to me. Do you understand that?" Regina's voice was soft, apologetic.

"I don't want to be...a pet... I don't like that, Regina." Emma frowned, her brows drawn. Regina closed her eyes a moment, she drew a deep breath.

"I know that.." The brunette exhaled.

"It doesn't have to be that way.." The blonde began to push herself up.

"I wish that was true, Emma. I really do." Regina put her hand to her face, rubbing the scowl crease between her eyebrows.

"Why can't it be?" The strength that had been pulled from the girl throughout the events of the night starting to return to Emma's voice.

"Emma!" The woman dropped her hand from her face, staring at the girl in disbelief.  
"How can you ask me that after tonight? Why would you want to be with me in any capacity?" Regina's voice raised, she looked at the girl, shaking her head slowly.  
"You shouldn't let anyone treat you the way that I did." The brunette softened, pushing the blonde locks off the girl's face. 

"But you're going to anyway.." Emma turned her face away, but made no motion to stop the woman from petting her hair.

"Is that a question or a statement?" Regina asked quietly, almost timid. The girl continued looking away, finally she simply shrugged, not sure which it was, and not really wanting an answer.

"I told you I want to give you what you what you want. Why can't you let me do that? Why do you have to take it from me?" Emma finally turned her head to the woman, staring at her pointedly.

"I... I don't know, Emma." Regina's eyes fluttered down, unable to look at the girl.  
"You shouldn't. Emma, I don't deserve that, and you're better than..than that." Regina took a deep breath, rubbing her temples, she continued.  
"You're right, you know? I did want to do that to you. I do want.."

"I know." Emma interrupted, staring at the wall.  
"I know that, Regina. I knew it last night when you said you didn't want to, I knew it then." She paused to look at the brunette, who still had her eyes downcast.  
"I meant what I said. If you want to... If you want to do that, I would let you.. But...not like that. Please not like that, Regina." Emma's voice broke as her hand flew to her face. She wiped at the tears that began to fall again.

"Don't you realize how awful that is? You can't let someone do that to you, Emma." Regina made motion to move her hand to the girl's shoulder, but Emma jolted off the bed, facing her.

"That is really great, Regina.. That's just wonderful!" Emma snickered, a cold little laugh.  
"You don't want me to let you do those things, even though I've told you I would, so instead you're going to take and force what I would give to you willingly?" Emma looked at the woman in disbelief. Regina gazed up, a pained expression on her face. 

"I don't deserve for you to give me any of that!" Regina hissed through clenched teeth.  
"And you shouldn't allow someone to do that to you!"

Emma shook her head at the woman, hands on her hips.  
"I appreciate you looking out for my well being." The blonde replied, her statement dripping with sarcasm, as she turned away from the brunette.

"Where are you going?" Regina demanded as she shot off the bed urgently.

"I'm getting us both a drink." Emma tossed her head back, staring a moment before turning back around.  
"Is that allowed, Your Majesty?" She added coolly. 

"Please... Please don't call me that." The woman sounded like a sad little girl. It hurt Emma to hear the tone in the woman's voice, but she was so irritated with everything she couldn't bring herself to apologize.

Pouring two goblets of port, the blonde noticed the disarray in the corner of the room; the book, the debris of whatnots covering the area. Saying nothing on the observation, Emma returned to the woman sitting on the bed.

"Thank you." Came Regina's meek reply as she wrapped her fingers around the glass. 

Emma shrugged, sitting next to the woman. Taking a deep breath, as a million sarcastic and childish remarks swan through her head. The girl bit her tongue, looking for any patience left in her.

"I know what I've said is horrible, I know that, Emma.." Regina stared, taking a sip of the port.  
"I really wish I was someone else, anyone else."

"I wish things were different, I wish you didn't feel you had to...to force or take what you want, when I'm here telling you that I will give it to you... Happily give you what you want... But I don't wish you were someone else." Emma looked at the woman, her face drawn and serious.

"But, Emma... If you knew...if you knew even half of what I've done... You wouldn't want to be here, you would understand why you can't... Why you can't..." Regina's voice broke, inhaling raggedly the woman paused, brining the back of her hand to her mouth.   
"It's not safe, Emma. You don't understand.." The woman stared off into space.

"Then make me understand." Emma stared at the woman, unwavering.

"What..?" Regina turned back to the blonde.

"Tell me, why. Make me understand why it has to be this way." The girl's voice became soft.  
"Why can't I lo.."

"Don't!" Regina cried out, bringing her hand to the girl's mouth, lightly laying her fingers over soft pink lips. Shaking her head, her eyes wide with what looked like fear.  
"Please Emma, you don't, you just think that right now... You can't." The brunette finished with more conviction than she had started with. 

"Then tell me... Please, Regina.." Emma pleaded.

"I don't know if I can... I don't know how.." The woman looked around the room nervously, bringing a trembling hand to her throat.

"Yes you can, I know you can." The girl took the woman's hand in her own, she turned it over, inspecting the woman's previous injuries. Regina still hadn't bothered to heal it. 

"It's fine, Emma." Her voice soft as she looked down at her hand.   
"I don't know where to start.." The woman whispered after a few heart beats.

"Start wherever you want, start at the easiest, or the hardest. Whatever you want, Regina." The girl scooted closer to the older woman.

"You're going to hate me once I tell you.." The woman trailed off.

"Isn't that what you want? Isn't that what I'm supposed to do?" Emma studied the brunette.

"It's not what I want." The woman shook her head sadly, her eyes becoming glassy with unshed tears.   
"But, you should...you should hate me. You will." Regina coughed, attempting to hide the cry she felt in her throat. The woman took a deep breath.

"You can always use magic to erase my memory, after you tell me." It was said so nonchalantly, it caught Regina off guard. 

"Why...why would you suggest that?" The brunette looked almost offended.

"You told me you could do that..before.." Emma shrugged, raising her brow slightly. She didn't know why she had said it, the girl wasn't really suggesting it, and she didn't think Regina would really go through with it. But she thought perhaps it would give the woman the courage to talk.

"That's awful, Emma... I don't want to do that to you.."

"No. You don't." The blonde confirmed slowly, cocking her head as she studied the woman.  
"But you do want to...own me.. against my will.."

"It's not that cut and dry." Regina actually blushed, looking somewhat ashamed she couldn't quite meet the girl's eyes.  
"If you knew me...knew what I've done...against your will would be the only way I could have you, Emma. I don't deserve you!" The woman's voice cracked. "Why don't you see that?" Regina scrunched her face, wincing as a tear dropped onto her cheek, she turned away quickly. She brushed her hand at her face, wiping away the tears that she couldn't hold back. Emma, sensing Regina's discomfort at her own display of emotion, waited patiently beside her.

After moments of uncomfortable silence passed, Regina finally spoke up, her voice barely above a whisper.  
"Fine. I'll tell you...I'll tell you what I can, then you'll understand."


	16. Part 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally I'm able to update! I apologize for taking so long to get this up here. Between work and the holidays I could barely find the time to write, as much as I wanted to!
> 
> Anyway, I hope you all enjoy it, I can't wait to hear what you think, so don't hesitate!!
> 
> As always, thank you for reading, you guys are the best!!
> 
>  
> 
> ***********************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Emma watched as the brunette stared straight ahead, opening her mouth as if to speak, then quickly snapping it shut. Pursing her thick lips together, she scowled. The girl inched a little closer, her thigh rubbing against the woman's.

"Regina... I... I was right about the book..wasn't I?" The blonde leaned forward, turning towards the older woman cautiously. 

The brunette sighed, glancing over at the girl before pushing herself off the bed. Regina crossed her arms over her chest as she walked to the window.  
"Yes." She looked out, leaning against the frame.  
"What I told you... That was true. I did get it from a friend... Someone I thought was my friend at least." Regina paused, debating.  
"But that's not all it is.."

"It's real... Maine, it's a real place, isn't it?" Emma asked, a hitch of excitement in her voice as she straitened up on the bed, folding her legs beneath her. She waited, wide eyed, unaware that she was holding her breath.

"You're very clever, dear." The woman replied dryly. Taking a deep breath she turned around to face the girl. "It's...another world. Different from this one. One without magic..." Regina spoke slowly, watching the girl's curious expression. The brunette could practically see the wheels in Emma's head turning.

"A different world... Without magic..?" The blonde whispered, looking down at the deep purple bed sheets. "How....how did your friend...your fake friend... How did they get the book?" Emma asked conspiratorially, her eyes gleaming as she raised her head.

Regina would have been amused with the girl's excitement and curiosity, but she knew it would be short lived.  
"My fake friend? I suppose that is an accurate description." The brunette offered a half smile. "He acquired it there, in that world. He can.... He has the ability to create portals...Portals into other worlds..well, he did have the ability to do so. He gave it to me under the false pretense of a peace offering." Regina paused not sure how to continue.

"Why? What did he do?" The girl was hanging on every word that came from the older woman's mouth.

"He lied to me, used me, betrayed me," Regina paused noticing the hint of anger in the blonde's eyes and the way her nostrils slightly flared. Even now, after the horrible events of the evening, even in the midst of trying to tell the girl what she was capable of, what she could and would do to her, Emma was still angry for her. Regina winced inwardly.  
"The point is...." The brunette pursed her lips, "Maine, the place in the book... I was going to cast a curse that would transport everyone there." Regina held her breath, waiting for the girl to respond.

Emma's brows were drawn together, a little wrinkle creasing her forehead.   
"You...you were going to send everyone to..another world?" She asked, head tilted to the side. 

"A world without magic...without so called happy endings." The brunette clarified, rolling her eyes, a snarl creeping onto her face. 

"Because... You...you didn't get a happy ending..?" Emma's eyes softened as she studied the woman. The blonde frowned, thinking about what had seemed to be a very unhappy life for Regina, in a place where happy endings seemed abundant.

"Snow told you?" The brunette arched her brow.

"She didn't keep a secret for you.." Emma bit her lip, glancing down. "And the boy you were going to marry.... He died." The girl's voice fell to a whisper. Emma wrinkled her brow, feeling an odd array of emotions. 

After a few heartbeats Regina cleared her throat. "Correct... But that's a different story." The brunette paused, she needed to clean up the mess she had made with the girl. It was her fault Emma was going on ridiculously about such a dangerous thing as love, and she didn't want to hear anymore of that talk.  
"But yes.... I wanted your mother to know what it felt like to have a broken heart, to feel absolutely powerless." The cool, calm manner in which Regina spoke only added to the venom in her words.

"But.." Emma started, rather timidly. "You...you didn't. Cast the curse I mean." Slowly the girl raised her eyes. Regina had her arms crossed, a sad smile on her lips.

"Because of you, Emma." The brunette's voice was strained.  
"It was prophesied that you...you would break the curse." She began to explain when the blonde gave her a confused look.

"Because I'm supposed to be the Savior." Emma spoke slowly, through clenched teeth, eyes burning brightly.

"Yes. That Savior nonsense." The older woman rolled her eyes, waving her hand dismissively. "I collected all the ingredients needed to cast the curse," Regina hesitated a moment, opting not to disclose those ingredients. She took a deep breath.   
"I planned on killing you, and if I didn't think Snow had suffered enough, then I could always cast the curse without having to worry about the possibility of having all my hard work undone by.... Well, by you." Regina held her breath, waiting for the girl to respond. 

"And...now? What are your plans now?" Emma kept her eyes cast down, processing the information.

"I told you, Emma." Regina crossed the room, sitting next to the blonde. She held her hand under the girl's chin, raising the blonde's head until their eyes met. "You're mine, you belong to me." The woman's voice was firm.

Emma's frown deepened. "You don't want to kill me anymore..."

"It was never about you, dear." Regina attempted.

"You've found a different way to hurt my mother now..." The girl's voice was soft.

"Yes, we talked about this before, Emma. And as I said..I'm not a...good person. But it's also because I want this, I want you."

"You want me as your pet you mean, or as your slave." Emma's eyes sparked as she pulled her chin out of Regina's grasp, crossing her arms over her chest. The girl turned her head, looking away from the woman, but she made no attempt to get up.

"When you came to me, begging for an end to your suffering, you gave yourself to me, Emma." The brunette ran her hand down the girl's arm, gently tugging until the blonde uncrossed her arms.

"But you don't have to own me, Regina.. I told you I want to be here with you...and...and if you want to...to punish me... I'll let you. You don't have to own me, you don't have to make me be your slave. Not when I.... I feel about you the way that I do.." Emma was grasping for something to make the woman understand.

"Emma, I just told you I was going to cast a curse that would bring suffering and despair to the entire kingdom, that I had planned to kill you...And you're right, not only do I want to punish you, I'm going to. I certainly hope you didn't think you would get away with that stunt of yours tonight." Regina was desperately trying to keep her patience, but it had been a long night, and she hadn't forgotten the girl's disobedience.   
"Take a look around you, do you see anyone that loves me? There's a reason for that." The woman's voice low, as she stared intently at the girl, trying to make her point.

"Why do you want me to hate you?" The blonde finally asked, nibbling on her bottom lip, forcing herself not to look away from the older woman. 

"I don't want you to hate me," Regina's voice softened. "But I can't let you think that...that you feel more for me than you should. I'm not that cruel." The woman paused, choosing her words carefully. "You are to be loyal to me and only to me." She took the girl's face in her hands, "You are to do as I tell you, I want your obedience, Emma. I do care about you, and I want you to enjoy being with me, but it's not a necessity." Regina brushed a stray hair from the girl's face. Emma stared at her wide eyed, mouth slightly parted. "You're mine regardless of what you want." The older woman pursed her lips, studying the blonde.

"So what? You want me to tell my parents you've made me into your...your...slave... that I warm your bed whenever you ask? That I have to do whatever you want..?" Emma's voice raised with each word, she pulled her head away, slapping Regina's hands from her flushed face.

"Careful, Princess!" Regina snarled, grabbing the girl's hands in her own, leaning herself into the blonde until Emma was forced to arch backwards.  
"You seem to keep forgetting about your earlier delinquency. Do you really want to add more to the list this evening? Not to mention, I don't recall any complaints from you about sharing my bed. In fact I believe you begged me for it." The brunette hissed, only inches from the girl's face.  
"If you want to tell your mother, be my guest. I only ask to be present when you do so, I would love to see the look on her face." A snarl played upon the woman's lips.   
"I hope you aren't expecting those idiots to save you. Storm my castle and save you from the clutches of the Evil Queen, take you back to your palace, keep you safe and sound... That's what you want now, isn't it?" Regina spat, tightening her hold on the girl's wrists as Emma struggled to release herself.

"When have they ever saved me?" The blonde growled back, unshed tears collecting in her eyes, her teeth clenched as she spoke. "When have they ever fought to keep me safe? They want me to be their pure and perfect Savior, without any faults. They expect me to save everyone! I never had a choice, and you know that has never been my palace or my home. You're just like them. You want to do the same thing, it's never mattered what I want, or who I am!" Emma yelled, her voice breaking. Regina, feeling a lump in her throat, finally released the hold around the girl's wrists, Emma's hand flew to her face, wiping at her eyes as she turned away from the brunette

"Emma," Regina's voice grew soft. Gently, she put an arm around Emma's shoulder, turning and pulling the girl's stiff body against her own. The blonde remained resistant, but Regina continued.  
"I don't ever want to change you, Emma." She ran her fingers through the girl's hair, petting her softly.  
"You are so special and so perfect as you are. Anyone that would want to change one thing about you is a fool." The brunette felt the girl give in slightly at these words, her body less rigid, leaning into the woman's soothing, almost maternal touch.  
"I will never let anyone hurt you, I.. I am very fond of you, and I do care about you and what you want. But that doesn't change the fact that you belong to me, you're my Swan." Regina pulled the girl in closer, and Emma didn't even realize how she melted into the woman's embrace. Regina's arm ran along her back, snaking across her waist as she held her firmly. Leaning closer, her lips just against Emma's ear, she whispered.  
"I would do anything to protect and keep what is mine." The woman's warm breath tickled the girl's skin. The statement was terrifyingly full of promise. Almost overwhelming so, but somewhere inside, Emma felt an odd sort of tightening warmth that wasn't all together unpleasant.

Emma raised her red rimmed eyes to the woman, still trying to convince the brunette that it could be different, and at the same time reconciling her own feelings.  
"But, Regina...making someone a... a slave.. It's.." Emma started softly, her face drawn, but she was quickly cut off.

"That's your word, not mine." The brunette corrected, sharply.

"Fine. Slave, pet...whatever. It's still the same thing!" The blonde threw her hands in the air, agitated with the conversation. But she made no move to distance herself from the woman's embrace, even brining her own hand down over the woman's.

"No dear, it's not." The brunette caressed the blonde's cheek with the back of her hand.   
"And they are both just words. When I married the king I was called a Queen, but I assure you, I was nothing more than a slave to that man and his daughter." Regina's eyes creased, her voice tight and clipped, a line running down her forehead.

"I'm sorry.... I.. I never knew it was like that...for you." The blonde whispered, dropping her gaze. It wasn't the first time she had wondered about Regina's forced marriage, but it was the first time she had thought about what it must have been like. At least she enjoyed being with Regina, well, mostly.

"And it won't be like that for you either." The brunette used her free hand to cup the girl's chin, gently encouraging the girl to look at her. Once she had her attention, the woman slowly inched her mouth closer to the blonde's. Softly she pressed her lips against the girl's, tightening the hold she had around the blonde's waist. Emma moaned softly against full red lips, unable to help the effect Regina had on her.  
"I want to give you so much, Emma." The woman's voice was husky, warm, whispered promises against the girl's lips.   
"So many freedoms that most people wouldn't even imagine. I want to teach you how to use your gift, I want to give you power, not take it from you. Unlike your parents, I want you to be exactly who you are. I just want you to remember who you belong to. I'm the only person in this entire world... Or any other, for that matter, that you have to obey. There is no one else, not your parents, not even Blue, just me. You answer to me, and only to me." Regina paused, eyeing her Swan, running her fingers through the golden locks.  
"That's all I ask of you, follow my rules, obey me, and the world is yours." The brunette waited, playing with the soft blonde hair. Emma swallowed the lump in her throat. Regina had made it pretty clear that she had no say in this matter, yet the way the woman explained the arrangement didn't make her feel quite as debased as she previously felt. She didn't want to become evil or hurt others, but she couldn't deny how attractive the idea of being more powerful than Blue was. Still, there would be the Queen to contend with. But maybe, just maybe she could find a way to handle her.

The girl's face flushed, her voice growing small.  
"Are... Are you going to....punish me..for..?"

"For stealing my horse and running away?" Regina arched her brow, biting at the inside of her cheek as she tried to quell her rising temper. Emma looked at her, wide eyed. Swallowing a lump in her throat, the girl nodded.

"I... I want you to know that I... I wasn't running away... I was just..angry...and I wanted your attention." Emma bit her lip, feeling her heartbeat increase at the thought of what was about to take place.

"Well, you succeeded, dear." The brunette snorted.  
"I know you weren't running away." She added softly, running her hand down the girl's arm, noticing, for the first time how cold the blonde's skin was.  
"Emma, you're freezing!" Regina rose from the bed, letting her hand slide down to the girl's. Intertwining their fingers together, she gently tugged the blonde, leading her to the chaise. The brunette stopped just in front of the lounger, turning towards the fireplace, she untangled her hand from the blonde's. Regina produced a small fireball, flicking it into the hearth The warm glow illuminating the room.

"Come here." The brunette rested back against the chaise, holding her arms out to the girl. Emma hesitated only for a moment before falling against the woman.   
"Turn around, look at me, Emma. I need to talk to you." Regina wrapped her arms around the blonde's shoulders as the girl faced her.  
"What you did tonight was completely unacceptable." Her voice was firm, but had lost the venom of the Evil Queen. She held the girl at arms length, searching the girl's face.  
"Not only did you leave without my permission, you stole my horse. Not just one of my horses, but my horse." The brunette arched her brow, her voice raised slightly as she gestured towards herself. Emma gazed down at her lap.

"I am sorry, Regina." The girl offered meekly.

"I am too, Emma. I blame myself, I should have had this discussion with you earlier, then perhaps this could have been avoided." The older woman paused, running her fingers through golden curls.  
"To answer your question, I am going to punish you, but because I didn't clearly explain the rules to you beforehand I promise to go light on you."

Emma couldn't help the way her heart sped up or how the air in the room suddenly felt scarce. She thought about pleading her case, but Regina wanted to do this, and she had told her she would let the woman. At least this was a vast improvement from earlier in the evening. Biting her lip, trying to catch her breath, Emma looked up at the brunette and nodded her head in understanding.

"Good girl." The woman caressed the blonde's cheek softly, smiling as the girl leaned into her touch.  
"You could have been killed, Emma." Regina practically whispered. The blonde couldn't help but wonder if the woman meant by the horse or the Queen.

"Leaving the castle grounds without my permission is strictly forbidden. I want you to understand what is expected of you, I want you to know the rules. If you break them I will punish you, and it wouldn't be very fair of me to punish you for something that you didn't know was wrong. Would it?" The brunette waited for the girl to respond.

"N-no.." Emma licked her lips, tilting her head, looking at the woman, hoping she was giving the right answer. Regina had said she was going to punish her, but it appeared they were going to have this chat first. The anticipation of what was coming was nerve wracking, Emma wished Regina would just go ahead and get the punishment over with, having it loom over her this way was torture. 

"Good." The older woman seemed pleased with the blonde's answer.  
"We've established that you are not to leave without permission. Now, when we are in private you may speak freely, if you are unhappy with something I want you to talk to me, or if you disagree with something we can discuss it, but flatly refusing or defying me is not acceptable, you have to communicate with me. I'm sure you know I won't tolerate back talk or rudeness, so I suggest you keep it respectful. However, if we are around others I expect you to do as I say without question. I have no intention of ordering you around as if you were one of my servants, but what I say in public, or the company of others is not up for debate. I expect you to at least appear well behaved." Regina arched her brows, giving the blonde something like a half smile. Emma's brows creased, but she nodded her head.

"Alright," the brunette continued. "This should go without saying, but I want to be clear. I absolutely will not tolerate any lying, whatsoever. None. Nor are you to sneak around, it's the same as lying. I've given you access to most of the castle save for a few chambers, those remain off limits. Failure to follow any of these rules will result in a punishment, do you understand me, Emma?" The brunette stared pensively, holding the blonde by her shoulders. The girl nodded as she chewed on her bottom lip, she thought most of the rules seemed reasonable, but it was still hard to give herself so entirely. Even if she did want to.

"No. Tell me that you understand." Regina was firm, her eyes unwavering.

Emma took a deep breath, her voice didn't seem able to cooperate.  
"I...I understand, Regina.." She finally managed to croak out. The brunette gave her that smile, the one Emma worried she would do anything for. 

"Good girl," the older woman praised, making the girl's insides clench with her words. Regina placed a soft kiss on the blonde's cheek.  
"I want you to bring me the paddle, it's laying on the bed. Go get it and bring it over to me." The brunette spoke softly, staring into the girl's wide eyes. She could feel the slightest tremble go through the blonde as she inhaled a raspy breath. Regina didn't want her Swan to be scared, but at the same time she could feel that thrilling spike of excitement and power coursing through her body. She squeezed her thighs together, already feeling her sex begin to throb. 

Emma nodded, forcing herself to walk over to the bed. It was only a few footsteps, but it felt like a painfully long journey. Wrapping her hand around the paddle, she noted how heavy it felt. The blonde silently prayed for the strength to make it back to the woman sitting on the chaise, her legs felt weak and wobbly, and the whole ordeal felt surreal. 

Emma's hand shook slightly as she offered the paddle to the dark haired woman.  
"Very good, my Swan." Regina took the paddle in her hands, thinking a moment on how good it felt to hold, the anticipation of wielding it caused her groin to tighten. The brunette moved until she was against the back of the lounger, scooting to the middle, she placed a pillow over her lap. 

"Why am I punishing you?" She asked the girl, reaching out with her free hand and taking the blonde's. Regina gave the girl a soft squeeze, hoping to reassure her a bit.

"I'm... I'm being...." Emma's breath was becoming erratic, she wouldn't meet the woman's eyes and Regina could see the blonde's chest heaving.

"Look at me, Emma." The brunette ordered firmly, but there was a certain softness in her tone. When Emma finally flashed her eyes to the woman, Regina used her thumb to slowly rub over the knuckles of the girl's hand.  
The brunette continued this until Emma's breathing slowed. It hadn't returned to normal, but at least she wasn't on the verge of hyperventilating.   
"That's it, it's going to be alright." Regina encouraged.  
"Now, tell me why are you being punished?" The woman said softly, holding the blonde's gaze.

"I'm being...punished...for taking your horse..and leaving...without permission." Emma took a deep breath, ready to get this over with.

"Good girl. Now I want you to lift your slip and lay across my lap." Regina patted the pillow over her lap and watched as the blonde pulled the slip around her waist. Emma could see the excited gleam in the woman's eyes as she followed her instructions. Bending down slowly she draped herself over the brunette's lap, positioning her abdomen onto the pillow. Her bottom elevated slightly, she burrowed her face against the cushion of the chaise. As her heart sped in her chest she tried to steady her breathing. Regina wanted this, she reminded herself, and it wasn't nearly as terrifying as earlier. Emma found some comfort in these thoughts.

The brunette's free hand ran fingers through the golden locks, slowly moving down her back, rubbing soft circles. After a few moments Regina delicately pushed her fingers under the band of the girl's underwear, slowly she pulled until the garment was wrapped around Emma's knees. 

The girl let out a soft mewling sound, bringing her arms around her head and clasping her hands together. Regina couldn't help but inwardly chuckle. The blonde was so sweetly adorable and she was behaving so perfectly, the older woman couldn't deny the pleasure she was receiving from her Swan.

Regina rubbed her hand against the girl's bare bottom, feeling the girl flinch and tense her muscles.  
"Shhh... Relax, Emma. It will hurt worse if you're tense." She advised softly, feeling the girl obediently relax under her touch. 

The woman continued rubbing the blonde's bottom, slowly moving to the small of her back. She pressed down lightly, but continued to use her thumb to circle the smooth skin. Raising the paddle with her other hand, she swiftly brought it down onto the girl's left cheek. The thwacking sound of wood hitting the blonde's soft flesh echoed against the stone walls. Instantly the creamy white flesh turned pink under the force of the paddle.

"Ohhh!" Emma breathed out sharply, jerking from the blow. A small whimper escaping her lips, she shut her eyes tightly. It stung, and she dug her nails into the cushions, but it wasn't unbearable, or even as painful as she had anticipated. At least not yet.

Regina couldn't help the soft sigh that escaped her lips. She felt a slight pang of guilt at how good it felt to have the girl over her lap, utterly at her mercy. She moved her free hand from the blonde's back, making her way to the girl's soft locks. Taking a moment to pet her sweet Swan. She could feel the heaviness of the girl inhaling and exhaling against her, Regina waited for the blonde to relax before beginning again.

Emma heard the whoosh of air as the paddle came down onto her right cheek, feeling the sting instantly. Again she let out a muffled cry, whimpering against the fabric of the lounger. Almost immediately she felt Regina's free hand running softly down her back, down to her burning ass. The woman's hand was soft and cool against the hot flesh and it surprised the girl to find how good the gentle caresses felt. Unable to suppress it, the blonde let out a little moan, arching herself against the woman's hand.

Regina cleared her throat in order to hide her own audible response to the girl. She loved the pretty pink color appearing on the blonde's flesh, and the way the girl yearned for her touch. After a moment of reprieve, she rubbed the palm of her hand from the girl's warm bottom, up to the small of her back. Regina held the girl in place, but continued to use her thumb, rubbing small circles across the creamy skin.

Rapidly she brought the wooden instrument down repeatedly alternating her target with each smack. Regina could feel the girl buck beneath her, her legs flailing. The brunette stopped momentarily when the blonde cried out.

"Shhh.. Almost done, Princess." Regina cooed softly as she ran her hand up and down the girls back. The blonde was so delicious laying there across her lap, with her glowing ass in the air. The brunette quickly brought the paddle down four more times, feeling the girl jerk and squirm.

"I'm sorry, Regina!" Emma yelped out, turning her head to the side. Her bottom stinging, she wasn't able to stop the few tears falling onto her check. She felt one of the woman's hands in her hair, while the other caressed her burning ass. She let out a little hiss at the contact on her tender flesh, but as Regina continued her affections the hiss turned to a soft moan.

The brunette rubbed the palm of her hand across the girl's backside. Admiring the warm, red pigment of her skin, the way her muscles flinched under the woman's touch. Regina continued soothing the girl, gliding her hand down to the girl's thighs, cupping the blonde's ass and back up again. The sounds coming from the girl made it difficult for the brunette to focus. Between sniffles, Emma was letting out soft little whimpers, with the occasional moan, arching into the woman's hand.

"Such a good girl." Regina cooed softly, tracing her hand lightly across the sore flesh. She noticed the heavy, shallow way her Swan was breathing, and the way the girl squeezed her thighs together so tightly. Regina already knew she was wet from the ordeal, she wondered about the girl in her lap. It took every restraint the woman possessed not to slip her fingers between the girl's thighs and find out.

Emma wasn't sure if she was capable of moving from the woman's lap, and she wasn't sure that she wanted to. Regina seemed content to keep her there, at least for the moment. The girl's ass felt as if it was on fire, but the soft, soothing way the brunette was petting and caressing her felt so wonderful it more than made up for it. At some point Emma had become aware of that tightening, yearning feeling in her sex. She could already feel herself becoming wet and the woman's soft touches were doing nothing to halt her neediness. She wanted Regina to touch her, wanted to beg the woman for release, but it felt horribly wrong to be so turned on from these events. 

Regina's fingers traced the outline of her inner thighs, against her own will, Emma let out something between a moan and a whimper. Burying her face in the cushions she tried clenching her legs together again, as much as she craved release she didn't want Regina to find out how wet she was. 

"Shhhh... Are you alright, Emma?" The brunette asked softly, leaning over the blonde, brushing the hair off of her face. The girl was almost as red as her behind, her mouth slightly parted as she inhaled and exhaled deeply. Regina had a fairly good idea of what was troubling the blonde. Yes, perhaps giving herself over to the woman was overwhelming, maybe she was still recovering from the spanking, but the brunette knew lust when she saw it.

Leaning down further, hovering just above the girl's ear, Regina whispered.  
"Are you wet, Em-ma?" Her breath tickling the blonde's skin, giving her goosebumps.

The girl's brow furrowed and she made a soft whining noise as she tried to push herself off of the woman, her face turning crimson. The brunette chuckled lightly, as she gently held the girl in place, Emma didn't put up much of a fight.

"It's alright..it's alright," the brunette cooed, reassuring the girl.   
"You don't have to answer," one hand made its way into the blonde's hair, while the other lightly teased the line where the girl's thighs clenched together.  
"Do you want me to find out for myself?" Regina's voice was husky, her fingers teasing the girl mercilessly. The girl shut her eyes tightly, her breath deepening.

"Please.." The blonde begged raggedly, her body taking over as she parted her legs, arching slightly. Regina took her time, rubbing over her ass a few times, making the girl whimper, until finally moving back down to Emma's thighs. Slowly she ran her hand through the parted legs, finding the girl's hot center. The girl moaned just from the woman cupping her mound. Regina held her hand there a moment, petting the blondes hair with her other hand. Gently, she used her fingers to part the girl's soaked folds.

"Oh, dear you are wet." Regina drawled, hearing the girl whimper at her remark. She slowly made her way to the blonde's engorged clit. Her touch was feather light, but Emma moaned loudly and a shiver went through her body at the touch. "Such a good girl," the brunette praised, circling the hard nub.  
"Are you wet for me?" She asked huskily. "Don't be embarrassed, my Swan. I want you to be wet for me." The older woman encouraged when the blonde didn't answer. Regina stilled her fingers, waiting for an answer.

"Y-yes..." Emma finally hissed, past the point of embarrassment, she was all aching need.

"Mmmm. Yes, I know. But I would love to hear you say it." The brunette circled the girl's clit, moving around, then up and down. Emma's breathing was hitched and she was withering under the woman's exquisite torments, whimpering and moaning.

"I'm.. I'm wet for you...Regina." The girl gasped out, thrusting her sex against the woman's hand.

"Good girl, such a good girl." The woman praised, making Emma moan again.  
"Your clit is so swollen for me, dear." Regina teased, continuing to torment her blonde. Gently, she pinched the sensitive nub, causing the girl to buck and yelp.

"Please.." Emma whimpered, digging her nails into the chaise.

Regina only hummed an approving response. It didn't take long of her teasing before she felt the girl's muscles tightening, she knew Emma was close. Rather cruelly, she moved her hand from the blonde's clit, teasing her entrance instead.  
"This was supposed to be a punishment, Emma..I don't know if you should be allowed release." Regina teased, knowing full well that she intended to make the girl come for her.

Emma whimpered, almost crying, she couldn't imagine being left in this state.  
"Please, please Regina...please.." She panted desperately.  
"I'll behave... I promise.. I.." Emma's begging turned into moaning as the brunette moved back to her clit. Running her thumb over the swollen area, picking up pace and slowing down.

"I do love when you beg so politely, dear." Regina cooed.  
"Who do you belong to, Emma?" The woman asked, brushing her finger over the girl, feeling her twitch.

"You! I belong to you!" Emma exclaimed, panting and flailing under the brunette's fingers.

"Good girl." The older woman commended. Picking up speed, she felt the girl becoming rigid, nearing her climax.

"Please... Please Regina... Please... Can I?"

Regina tilted her head slightly, arching her brow quizzically. She had never told her Swan that she had to ask permission, and the girl was ready, she could feel it from every muscle in Emma's body. Yet the girl was holding back, somehow so intuitive to Regina's desires. 

"Yes, Emma. Come for me." The woman gave her raspy permission, and almost instantly the girl shook and trembled as her orgasm ripped through her body. Emma went completely limp over the woman, panting and making soft sounds of satisfaction, somewhere between moans and sighs.

Regina smoothed her hands over the girl a few times, discarding the tangled underwear around the blonde's legs. She pulled the still twitching girl into her arms, letting Emma rest against her while the girl calmed down.   
"Good girl. You're such a good girl, my Swan." The brunette cooed as she ran her fingers through the girls hair, and rubbed her back. Emma may have a bit of a defiant streak, but in the bedchamber her Swan was so perfectly submissive.


	17. Part 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to say.... I am so so so sorry this took so long to update!! I've already started 18, but I have a lot of things coming up in the next couple weeks, so I can't promise that I will have the next chapter up quickly, but I will have it as soon as I possibly can! Thank you all so very much!! I'm also teribly sorry it took me so long to respond to the comments, I absolutely love hearing what you think so please don't hesitate, I promise to reply in a more timely fashion.... I hope you enjoy this chapter! Happy Holidays!!
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"What are you thinking about?" Emma asked, tilting her head to the side, looking with curious amusement at the reflection above hers. She sat at the Queen's dressing table while the brunette braided her hair. Emma knew the woman could accomplish the same result using magic, but Regina had been especially affectionate since their time on the chaise. Emma shifted in her seat, recalling the previous night, her bottom still slightly sore, the blonde could feel herself blushing just at the thought of it.

"Keep your head straight." The older woman said, gently tilting the girl's head back into place. She looked in the mirror, noticing the light blush on her Swan, the brunette couldn't help her smug smile.  
"Hmm... I should ask you the same question, dear." Regina teased, gently gathering a strand of hair, working it into the intricate French braid. Emma folded her arms over her chest, she sighed sharply.

Regina couldn't help the laugh that escaped her lips. It was throaty and easy and so completely genuine.  
"How many times do I have to tell you not to pout princess?" The brunette playfully tugged the girl's hair. 

"I'm not pouting." Emma stared at Regina's reflection defiantly, but when the woman held her gaze, the blonde couldn't help the small smile pulling at her lips. The air between them was somehow different today. Emma still wasn't comfortable with what Regina wanted, what she insisted upon. The blonde was still trying to come to her own terms with their discussion. But Regina was in such a good mood, she seemed almost happy, and Emma didn't want to do anything that might spoil this.  
"You just..." Emma started to explain.

"I just what?" The brunette asked, her voice teetering on harsh, her brows furrowed.

"I was going to say that you seemed happy, that's why I asked what you were thinking about." Emma continued to stare at the woman's reflection.

Regina's expression softened, a warm smile spread across her face as she continued her work with the girl's hair.  
"I was thinking about you." The brunette answered simply, her voice soft, she didn't bother to look in the mirror, she could see the light blush spread to the blonde's ears.

"Oh." Emma replied shyly, holding her hands together in her lap.

"You always seem to surprise me, Emma. You were such a good girl last night." Regina paused, looking at the blonde's reflection. The Princess was staring at her intently, her lips parted just barely.  
"Actually, you were very bad, but then you were so very good, my Swan." The woman purred, running her hand against the girl's cheek, she cupped her chin, turning the girl's face to her own. The brunette smiled at how receptive Emma always was to her touch. Regina pressed her lips to the girl's, soft and sweet and almost innocent.  
"Such a good girl, my good girl. Isn't that right, Em-ma?" The brunette stared into the girl's eyes, arching her brow while holding the blonde's face in her hand.

"Y-yes, Regina." Emma swallowed the lump in her throat, as a wide approving smile stretched across the older woman's face. The girl didn't understand how she could find Regina's statement to be both terrifying and wonderful at the same time. The blonde had wanted to belong somewhere for so long. True, she didn't want to be owned, she wanted a choice. She thought of last night, so willingly giving Regina what she asked, giving herself. But at that moment it had felt so right to be with the brunette, it felt that way now, she wanted to choose Regina. Still, Emma did have bigger worries. She wasn't entirely afraid of the woman, but she had gotten a better glimpse of the Evil Queen last night, and she was a much different story. 

"What are you thinking about, dear?" Regina's husky voice broke through the girl's thoughts. The woman had finished the braid, securing the bottom, she held Emma's eyes through the mirror.

"Oh..nothing.. Not really." Emma turned around, looking up at the woman.

"Emma.." Regina crossed her arms, looking down at the wide eyed girl. She waited, watching the blonde lick her lips.  
"Well...?" The woman pushed.

"I was thinking about last night." The girl finally murmured.

"Oh?" Regina purred, a feral smile crossing her lips.

"When... When we were in the woods." Emma clarified, watching the woman's face fall.

"Oh. I see." The brunette pursed her full lips. She started backwards from the blonde, when the girl took her hand.  
"I was just wondering if...if maybe I could ask for a few things?" Emma bit her lip, looking up at the woman. The brunette's expression softened as the girl spoke.

"Of course you can, dear." Regina smiled, "what is it that you want? Clothes, jewels, just tell me Emma." The woman waited.

"No... I meant more like...rules?" Emma held her breath, chewing on her lip.

"Excuse me?" The brunette almost laughed, astonished, she took a step back to examine the blonde.

"Maybe more like... Conditions..? Or...promises..?" The girl tried, too late to back out now.

"I thought I was clear last night, this isn't a negotiation." Regina said sharply, resting her hands on her hips.

"I...I know that." Emma dropped her eyes from the brunette's. "I was just...when we were in the woods....I was... Regina, I was really scared." Emma finally raised her eyes to the brunette.

"As you should have been." The woman replied curtly, her voice chilly crossing her arms over her chest, her lips pursed. She studied the girl, causing Emma to squirm rather uncomfortably in her seat. Regina sighed, her fondness for the blonde getting the best of her.  
"Curiosity is getting the better of me. I'll hear you out, but that doesn't mean I will agree to anything. What are these....conditions?"

"Thank you, Regina." Emma let out the breath she had been holding in. Now that she had the floor, the girl didn't know if she could ask for the things she wanted. Her mouth was suddenly dry, and she didn't want to push the woman more than she already had, but she didn't want to keep her waiting either.  
"I...I want to follow your rules, and...and please you....but if something happens..." Emma licked her lips, taking a deep breath. "If you have to punish me...will you...will you wait until... until you aren't quite so angry?" The blonde looked up, unable to read the brunette's expression.

"If you don't do anything to upset me, then you won't have to worry about that, dear." Regina's cool demeanor didn't crack, but she was considering the girl's request. She didn't want to do true damage to her Swan. Even if the girl did do something that deserved a punishment. Regina told herself that she didn't want to do something that would make the blonde useless to her, and honestly the woman knew it was more than that. Logically, the request was sound.  
"Is that all?" The brunette finally asked.

"N-no," Emma shook her head.

"Of course it's not." Regina rolled her eyes, sighing.  
"Well? Go on, we don't have all day, Princess."

"I was wondering if... If you wouldn't... do it...punish me...in front of other people...if you have to, could it be when it's just us?" Emma's brows rose, as she stared, wide eyed, at the woman standing above her. Regina's face was stone, utterly unreadable. Emma wasn't sure if the woman was angry or not. She assumed angry.  
Emma swallowed, "I was just thinking maybe.."

"Are you planning to disobey me?" Regina arched her brow quizzically, examining the blonde.

"No, Regina...no I really... I'm not. But.... I...I'm.."

"You're scared." Regina answered for her, Emma slowly nodded her head, keeping a watchful eye on the brunette.  
"Of me." The woman whispered, looking away from the girl. She didn't know why she felt so surprised, or so disappointed in herself, this was precisely what she had tried to warn the girl about. Regina knew the truth of who she was.

"No. Not of you...not entirely." The blonde slowly stood up, making her way to the woman. She took Regina's hands in her own, frowning slightly. She loved this woman, despite everything, Emma loved her, and she was brave enough to understand this.  
"Just....at times, like last night...in the woods."

"I'll consider your requests." Regina cleared her throat, surprising both herself and the blonde with her answer. 

"Thank you." Emma let out a sigh of relief, it wasn't really the answer she wanted, but at least Regina was willing to consider what she had asked.

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"Why are we practicing out here?" Emma asked when the two reached the outskirts of the Queen's apple orchard. 

"Because we need the space, and I want to make sure you don't accidentally destroy my castle." Regina gave the girl a half smile as she surveyed the area.  
"What's beyond the orchard?"

Emma tilted her head, her brow wrinkled. "Do you want me to go see?" She looked at the brunette with absolute confusion. 

"No. Come here." Regina extended her arm to the girl, motioning her to come closer. Emma complied, resting her back against the woman. "Good. Now, close your eyes, Emma." The brunette whispered, wrapping her arm around the blonde's waist, tightly.

Emma closed her eyes, wondering what the woman had planned.  
"Concentrate. Don't open your eyes. Can you see the trees in your minds eye?" Regina watched the girl, her face pulled in concentration.

"Yes... I think so.."

"Good, now go beyond the trees. What do you see?" Regina's voice was soft in the girl's ear.

Emma frowned, her brows pulling together. "I just see the trees," she complained, frustration in her voice.  
"Don't get irritated. Keep trying." The brunette reprimanded. Emma didn't want to displease the woman, but she didn't think she was going to be able to accomplish what the Queen asked. The blonde took a deep breath, placing her hand over Regina's.

"I don't think..." Emma started, her face scrunched as she kept her eyes closed.

"Good. Don't think, just look. Tell me what you see." Regina paused, then leaned into the girl's ear. "You can do this, Emma." The brunette whispered encouragingly.

The blonde's frown deepened. "I'm not good at this, not like you." She protested, almost whining.

"Not yet, but you will be." The words weren't lost on Regina. It was the first time the thought had occurred to her, at least consciously. The woman pushed it to the back of her mind, for now at least.

"Regina!" Emma exclaimed after a few more moments. The girl could see the landscape as if she was walking through the cluster of trees. Emma could feel the dirt beneath her feet, as she walked through the orchard in her mind, she could even see the leaves sway in the breeze.

"Keep going." The brunette smiled.

"There's a pond!" Emma spun around in the woman's arms. "Is that right?" The blonde looked at Regina in awe, searching for her approval. It was that look that made it hard for the brunette to breath.

"Yes, that's right." The older woman smiled brilliantly. She put her hands on either side of the blonde's face. "I told you, I knew that you could do this, Emma." Regina praised, giving the girl a soft peck on the lips.

"I didn't make that up? It's really there?" 

"Yes, dear. It's really there." Regina chuckled at the blonde's astonishment and apparent enthusiasm. 

"When you do that, how far are you able to see?" Emma asked.

"Just a bit further, but it's a useful skill to have if ever you find yourself in unfamiliar surroundings." The woman explained, letting her hands fall to the blonde's shoulders, gently turning her back around. "Practice a little more, then we have some other things to work on." The blonde continued to work on her craft, mastering the skill quickly.

"You said we were going to work on something else..?" Emma turned, looking at the woman expectantly.

"Bored already, my Swan?" Regina arched her brow, teasing the girl playfully.

"I just want something that's a bit more challenging." The blonde retorted, raising her brows. She bit the inside of her cheek, trying to suppress a smile.

"Oh, aren't we cocky." The brunette tugged on the girl's braid. "Well my Swan , I do hope to challenge you enough to keep your interest." Just as quickly as the words had left the woman's mouth, Regina disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke, leaving Emma to glance from side to side in search of her.

"Try to keep up, dear." Regina called out haughtily from behind the trees. Emma couldn't see her, not with her naked eye, but using the trick Regina had just taught her, it was easy enough to find the woman.

"Like this?" Emma asked a small giggle escaping her lips. Regina turned to the girl, surprised at how quickly she was catching on. 

"I'm so glad you decided to join me, I was beginning to worry." The woman replied smugly, running her tongue across her plump lips before disappearing once again. 

Only moments after gaining her footing, appearing further into the orchard, Regina felt a tug on her own braid. The woman spun around so quickly, Emma wondered if that in itself was magic. The corner of the brunette's mouth was turned up slightly, but the girl didn't know if it was a smile. It was closer to something between a snarl and a feral grin.

"Tsk. Tsk." Regina chided, her features so masterfully under control and unreadable it was rather alarming. She stalked towards the blonde, forcing her to take a step back with the force of her body. She reached her hand out to grasp the blonde braid. Just as her fingers reached the soft golden strands, the girl gave her a mischievous grin before disappearing in a puff of light blue smoke.

Emma caught her footing, closer to the pond now, she could see the glimmer of the sun reflecting off the water. The girl gave herself a little satisfied smirk.  
"Quite a brazen move, Princess." Regina purred in the girl's ear from behind her, surprising the blonde. The woman's warm breath gave Emma goosebumps and sent a shiver down her spine. Simultaneously, she felt a much rougher, but not all together unpleasant, tug on her braid, forcing her to lean her head back, a little gasp escaping her lips. The blonde looked up at the woman, feeling her breath hitch as Regina stared back at her, a predatory smile played across her lips. Emma's lashes fluttered as she blinked, wondering if this was still a game.  
"It seems last night had an adverse effect on you, my Swan." The dark haired woman feigned disappointment, wrapping her hand around the girl's waist, holding the blonde tightly against her.  
"Judging from your behavior it doesn't seem you've learned any lesson at all." She leaned closer to the girl's ear, her lips gliding against the blonde's skin. Regina took the blonde's earlobe, sucking gently with her full lips, eliciting a sweet little moan from her girl. "Mmm... Yes, I think I prefer this over that smug little smile you had moments ago." The woman purred, enjoying the blush that swept across the girl's face.

"I don't know if I believe you, Regina..." The words fell from the girl's mouth before she had time to examine them. Emma didn't know it was possible to raise one's brow to the height that Regina accomplished. The woman stared at her for a moment, her eyes gleaming wickedly. The brunette used the leverage of the girl's braid, and the hand around her waist to maneuver the girl, turning her around and leaning her back against one of the apple trees. The older woman let her hands fall to either side of the blonde's waist, pushing her body against the girl's.

"You do seem rather bold today, my dear." Regina whispered huskily, nipping on the curve of the blonde's jaw line. "In fact, I may be inclined to believe that you enjoyed being put over my lap." The brunette stepped back just enough to gauge the girl's reaction. Emma averted her eyes, her blush deepening.

"I...ugh.." The blonde bit her lip self consciously.

"Hmm..yes, very eloquently put. It seems," the woman started, tracing her index finger across the outline of the girl's top. "That you can be so perfectly obedient inside my bedchamber, but outside of it you have quite the defiant streak." Regina arched her brow quizzically.

"Regina...I.." Emma furrowed her brows, not sure what to say. She wasn't sure there was any response fitting for the Queen's remark. Mercifully, the dark haired woman interrupted.

"Oh, I'm not complaining. Don't be fooled into thinking that you are the only one that enjoys a challenge Em-ma." Regina purred, taking the girl's bottom lip between her teeth, applying pressure just until she got a delicious whimper from the blonde. Her blonde. And then the brunette was gone, leaving the remains of purple smoke in her departure. Emma had to take a breath, smoothing her hands down her dress, trying to gain some composure. 

When the girl got herself together enough to search for Regina, she found the woman standing at the edge of the pond.

Regina turned to the blonde, a small fireball in her palm. "This is why I didn't want you practicing inside my castle."

"You want me to...do that?" Emma's eyes went wide, looking at the brunette in shock.

"You said you wanted a challenge, is that not true?" The woman asked, raising her perfect brow as she walked towards the girl. 

"Regina... I.." Emma started to explain.

"What? You can't?" Regina sent the fire orb across the pond, letting it fall in the middle and extinguish in the water. She rubbed her hands together as if removing any left over residue.  
"If you think that you can't, you most certainly won't be able to." She paused a moment, stroking her hand down the girl's braid. "I believe in you, Emma. But more importantly, you need to believe in yourself." Regina's voice grew soft. "Will you try?"

Emma's brows furrowed, but she nodded her head. She knew there were few things she wouldn't do for the woman. Although fireballs seemed to fall a bit darker than poofing or using your mind to see further. "Regina?" She had to ask, "is it bad?"

The woman frowned, more contemplative than displeased, she thought for a moment. "I like to think that save for a few things, most magic is neither good nor bad. It's what one chooses to do with it." Regina paused, looking at the girl. "What? Are you surprised I know the difference between good and bad? I wasn't always the Evil Queen, dear." It wasn't the first time the woman had made reference to herself in this way. It always made Emma upset to hear the brunette talk about herself in that manner, and she thought it made Regina sad as well. Behind all of the false bravado the blonde could sense the despair in that title.

"I hate when you refer to yourself that way. Besides, you're not evil, Regina." The blonde spoke with such absolute reverence that Regina felt her heart clench. The woman took a moment, clearing her throat, a thinly veiled effort to buy time before replying.

"Yes, well I'm sorry to tell you, but you may be the only one that feels that way, dear." The brunette offered the girl a tight smile. She wondered how the blonde could think so well of her, especially after the previous night. She wanted to ask Emma, desperately, wanted to ask the girl what redeeming qualities she found in her, but the woman couldn't bring herself to do it.  
"Give me your hand." She ordered, changing the subject back to the magic lesson instead. Regina took the girl's outstretched hand, running her fingers lightly against the open palm. "As I'm sure you know, all magic is emotion. In order to create a spark, you need to channel what emotion?"

"I don't know... I guess... Maybe anger?" The blonde shrugged.

"Very good, dear." The brunette gave the girl an encouraging smile.

"How do I start?" Emma asked, looking at the woman for guidance.

"Remember when I taught you how to use transmutation?" Regina caught the girl's confused look. Rolling her eyes and sighing, she corrected herself. "Poofing... Remember when I taught you to do that?" The woman moved her hand to the girls abdomen, lightly rubbing soft circles against the fabric of her dress. "Remember how I told you to pull your emotion from here?"

"Yes.." Emma nodded, her eyes glued to the woman as she spoke.

"Good." The brunette smiled, pleased with her captive audience. "Now think of something that makes you angry. Think of something that upsets you, channel the anger." Regina took a step back, holding the girl's wrist out as she waited.

"I'm trying.." Emma finally said after a few minutes of attempting to produce a fireball without any luck.

"This one takes a while, don't get frustrated. Just try for a spark, Emma." The brunette encouraged patiently.  
"Are you thinking of something that makes you angry?" Regina asked after a few moments of nothing happening, other than Emma becoming annoyed.

"Yes, but I can't feel it. I can't channel it." The blonde complained, her face distorted in frustration.

"What are you thinking about?" The brunette studied the girl, her face drawn.

"Ugh.." Emma's face turned red at the question, she couldn't possibly tell the woman what she chose to use in order to attempt a fireball.  
"It is something that upsets me."

"I didn't ask for a riddle, Emma, I want an answer." Regina chided impatiently. 

"You'll get upset." The blonde bit her bottom lip nervously.

"No I won't, now tell me!" Regina didn't quite hit the mark on convincing the girl.

"You can't really stop someone from feeling something. You know that right?" Emma replied cryptically, tilting her head to the side.

"What is that supposed to me-," Regina paused as realization hit. She pursed her lips and took a deep breath, counting to ten. "I'm done with that conversation, Emma." The woman said sternly. "Besides, that won't work, it comes from a different place."

Emma sighed, closing her eyes she tried to concentrate.

"Dig deep, Emma. Remember all you need is a spark." Regina watched, trying to think of something that would ignite the girl. "Come on...pet." She drawled, spitting out the last word. Emma snapped her head, absolute fury in her eyes. Fury and hurt. Regina winced inwardly, making a mental note to resolve the situation in the near future. 

"Don't call me that!" The blonde growled, gnashing her teeth together, a small pool forming just at the corner of her eyes.

"You have fire, dear." Regina nodded to the girl's palm, but Emma continued to stare at her defiantly.  
"I'm sorry, Emma...but I only said it because I knew it would upset you. Stop glaring at me and look at your palm." 

Slowly the girl let her face relax as she turned her head. In the middle of her hand a single tiny flame danced against her skin. "You.."

"No dear, not me. I gave you a little push, but this is all you." The brunette whispered into her girl's ear. Regina moved her hand from the blonde's wrist, holding her hand under the girl's. "Can you make it grow?" She wondered, not for the first time today, just how strong the girl's magic was. 

"I don't know." Emma studied the tiny flame thoughtfully. It felt nice and warm in her hand, almost tickling the sensitive skin as it danced around.

"Think of what makes you angry, what makes you furious." The woman's voice grew stronger, more determined with each word she perfectly enunciated. Regina forced herself to hold back, the girl needed to figure this out on her own.

Emma shut her eyes tightly, searching for all of the things she tried so desperately not to think about. She thought about Regina, how she was now merely a possession to the woman. Despite what words you used to describe the situation, that was what it boiled down to. Maybe if the woman would let Emma love her it wouldn't be that bad, but that wasn't the case. Regina didn't want her love, and for that matter she didn't love the blonde. Still, the brunette had probably shown her the most kindness and care out of anyone in her life. How pathetic was that? Her parents were ashamed of her, unwilling to fight for her. She was supposed to save them, but they never once considered who would save her. In their eyes she was a just a huge disappointment, probably even more now that she was using magic. Using magic and owned by the Evil Queen. Emma thought about when they tried to strip her of her magic, of herself. The blonde felt a tremor run through her as she thought about Blue and the horribly painful events of that awful night.

"Emma..." Regina tried to get the girl's attention as the tiny flame began to grow larger. The blonde had her eyes shut tightly, unaware that her little spark was quickly turning into a fireball.  
"Emma..!" The brunette tried again, her voice higher, sharper than before. The girl still ignored the Queen. What had started out as irritation, was quickly turning to worry. Regina noticed the way the girl had begun to almost hyperventilate, a small tear running down her face. All the while the flame in the blonde's hand continued to sizzle and grow with each passing moment.  
"Emma!" The brunette called out loudly. Getting no response she took the girl by the shoulder, her other hand steadying the blonde's wrist, trying to ensure the flaming orb wasn't accidentally dropped. With few other ideas on how to get the blonde's attention, Regina began to shake the girl.  
"Emma.... Open your eyes, Emma!" The woman yelled. It was as if the girl didn't hear her at all, the blonde clamped her eyes tighter, a little cry escaping her lips. With a wave of her hand, the brunette sent the fireball into the pond. Taking just a moment to admire the girl's work. It was much smaller than her own, but the fact that the blonde had managed to create the orb on her first try was quite an accomplishment. Regina recalled spending at least two weeks practicing before she was able to manifest more than a small flame.

A small thud pushed the brunette back to the present. She looked back around, only to find the girl crumpled on her knees at the woman's feet. The blonde's hands were splayed out, helping to support the girl's heaving body.

"Emma!" Regina shrieked, bending down to take the girl by the arm. As gently as she was able, the brunette pulled the girl back onto her feet. Holding her Swan close, Regina could feel the girl's legs still wobbling beneath her.  
"Look at me, Emma." The woman cooed softly, running her hand along the girl's face, gently holding the blonde's chin as she guided the girl. Emma was red faced, taking large gulps of air, her green eyes red rimmed as she looked into Regina's.  
"Good girl." The brunette praised. She studied the girl. Her girl. Emma's breathing had started to calm down, becoming less frantic, but she looked at the woman dizzily. The brunette worried her Swan might pass out, inwardly she berated herself for pushing the blonde too hard.  
"You're just exhausted, don't worry. Can you hold onto me?" Regina asked, wrapping her arm around the girl's waist as she spoke. 

Emma nodded mutely. Unable to choke out a verbal response, she wrapped her hands around the brunette's shoulders, clasping her hands together as if her life depended on it. It was if all the strength in her body had been sucked out. She tried fighting the fluttering feeling of her eyelids, but she just couldn't win, finally she let her eyes shut, telling herself if would just be a for a moment, even as she felt herself floating into oblivion.


	18. Part 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I finally got 18 up! I'm so sorry it took such an awfully long time to get this posted! Now that the holidays are over I am hoping to get back to a more regular schedule of posting, I hate leaving you guys waiting for so long!! I sincerely hope that I made it worth the wait, and I can't wait to get your thoughts and feedback, it's always such a delight! I hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday season. As always, thank you so much for reading!
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Regina watched over her Swan as the girl slept in the over sized bed. Emma had passed out before the brunette had time to transport them from the pond into her bedchambers. Regina brushed away the stray strands of golden hair, having made their way out of the thick braid. The woman pulled the covers up, tucking them around the blonde. 

Regina worried, her forehead creased as she peered down at the blonde. The girl's apparent breakdown was troubling, Emma had obviously worn herself out. For a novice to deplete themselves in such a way was relatively common, however it was the way in which the girl reacted that made Regina pause. That, and the amount of power the girl was exercising had the dark haired woman anxious.

Emma would one day be quite powerful, and Regina wanted that, but only to an extent. She couldn't allow things to spin out of control, not when she had gotten this far. It had been many years since the brunette encountered someone with power that could rival her own. The Queen knew she would have to keep a short leash on her Swan, for now at least.

Regina wasn't sure how long she sat at Emma's side before the girl awoke. The brunette was looking over one of her books, unable to focus, she pretended to read. Eventually she heard the girl begin to stir. The blonde had been in a near comatose state, but now she tossed over to the far side of the bed. Emma curled her legs up, emitting a tiny, closed mouth whimper. 

Regina frowned, setting her book down and leaning over the blonde, she let her hand glide softly down the girl's body.  
"Emma..." The brunette cooed, her voice warm. The blonde's brow furrowed, her pink lips drawn as another wounded whimper escaped. The girl curled tighter.  
"Emma, you're alright, it's just a bad dream." The older woman began to rub the blonde's back, running her other hand over the girl's hip, trying to roll her Swan over. 

Emma resisted, flinching, then pulling away sharply when she felt a tug on her body. Regina settled her hand, resisting the urge to force the girl over. She tried a different tactic. The brunette ran her hand across Emma's forehead, trying to soothe her girl.  
"You're safe, Princess. Everything's alright."

Emma's features slowly began to relax, the brunette felt some of the tension leave the girl's body. Regina continued rubbing the blonde's back, softly reassuring her while trying to coax her out of the nightmare. As Emma's body softened the brunette guided her girl towards her with a gentleness the woman forgot she possessed. 

The blonde's eyes fluttered open, green orbs shining brightly up at the older woman. Regina noticed the watery glaze filming over the girl's eyes.  
"Wha...what happened?" Emma asked, pushing herself upright, she had yet to catch her bearings. The blonde looked up at the Queen, squinting her eyes. 

"You over exerted yourself and passed out, dear." Regina explained, running her left hand down the blonde's cheek. There wasn't any reason to make more of it than it was. "How are you feeling?" The brunette asked while the girl blinked at her lazily.

"I'm... I'm alright...I think. My head hurts a little bit." The blonde said absently, trying to get a hold of the thoughts cluttering her mind. Her parents. Blue. The Queen. She felt herself spinning.

"Is that any better?" Regina asked after running her hand over the girl's temple, trying to ease any pain.

"What?" Emma asked, her brows furrowed in confusion. She saw the woman's lips move but she hadn't been able to concentrate on the words. Regina's frown returned, a line creasing the center of her forehead.

"You're head...does it feel any better?" The brunette arched her brow, studying the girl. Emma's eyes were on her, but they were out of focus, as if looking through the woman. Perhaps the blonde was worse off than she first thought.

"Yes..thank you.." The girl replied, her voice void of emotion. Emma's mind raced, she clutched the covers about her. Regina's words rang in her head. Maybe she was being too sensitive, but they had sliced right through her. But, there were more thoughts troubling the blonde. Thoughts concerning her parents and Blue, but they weren't sitting right there in front of her. And for some reason Emma expected more from the older woman, a betrayal hurt more from her.

"Emma," Regina started softly. The brunette watched the girl's face contort. A flicker of anger in her Swan's eyes. "Are you alright?"

"You... You said you wouldn't..." Emma's brow wrinkled, biting her lower lip and clenching her fists around the sheets. "You said...you said you wouldn't make me... Feel that way. Why did you call me....that?" The girl's voice lowered as it broke, making the brunette flinch inwardly. 

"You needed a push, I was helping you." Regina replied flippantly. She thought Emma should be mature enough to understand and not take it so personally. "It seemed to do the job." The brunette added smugly, proving her point.

Emma turned her head, looking away from the woman. "I suppose it did." The girl blinked, feeling the sudden burning of tears that threatened to fall. It was clear to Emma how much the Queen thought of her; Regina had purposefully hurt her, and acted as if Emma was the one behaving inappropriately. 

"May I go to my own room?" The blonde asked abruptly, refusing to look at the dark haired woman sitting beside her. Emma crossed her arms over her chest. If Regina thought her feelings weren't important, the girl certainly didn't want the brunette to see her cry.

The Queen pulled back in disbelief. Regina felt her temper rising at the thanks she was receiving. She straightened herself rigidly, dark, burning eyes roamed over the blonde as the brunette's lip curled upwards. "Very well, Princess.." Regina hissed, moving from the bed, graceful as ever. She restrained the urge to slap the ungrateful girl in her bed. "By all means, go to your own room." After all she had done for the blonde; taking her in, teaching the girl magic, sitting by her side as if she was some sort of nursemaid, she couldn't believe how the girl was behaving. Regina couldn't stand the sight of the blonde right now.

The woman folded her arms over her chest, biting the inside of her cheek as the girl moved too slowly for her liking. Emma removed the covers from her body, flinging them over to the opposite side of the bed. 

"Go to your room!" Regina growled, grabbing the girl by her arm and pulling her towards the door. She could feel her temper rising with each second she laid eyes on the blonde. 'The ungrateful little bitch, considering her parents, I shouldn't be surprised,' Regina thought to herself.

"You can go to your room, and you will stay there until it's time for dinner. If you choose not to join me, then you can stay there until breakfast." The brunette snarled, pushing Emma into the hall roughly, tossing the girl out with the care she would use on soiled clothing. If Emma didn't want or appreciate her guidance, then the woman didn't want such a disrespectful brat in her presence. Regina slammed the door behind her.

The brunette turned, staring at the closed door for a moment, listening to the sound of the girl's footsteps padding down the hall. Turning back around, Regina took a deep breath, leaning her back against the heavy wood. She had hoped to feel better, more in control with the blonde out of her sight, but she somehow felt worse. The woman exhaled. Deflated, she slid down the length of the door.

For a moment the woman sat helplessly, head in her hands, she tried to control her breathing, control herself. As the moment passed, Regina raised her head out of her hands, pushing off the cool stone floor. The brunette raced to her mirror, waving her hand across the reflection until the girl came into sight.

Emma flung the door to her room closed. Kicking at the frame childishly, then throwing her back against it. She wanted to scream, and not just at the dark haired woman. The blonde clenched her fists, feeling the crescent of her nails digging into the soft flesh of her palm. She let out an angry cry.

Regina scowled as she watched the scene unfold. The woman had taken an interest in the blonde's anger when the girl first arrived, but this was different. The brunette found it difficult to find any joy in this display. 

The girl pushed herself off the back of the door, giving it another kick for good measure, as she stalked over to the bed. She needed something to take her frustration out on, something to make her feel less powerless. She didn't care how childish the action might be. 

Emma wasn't surprised by the way the brunette dealt with her request. She knew Regina was upset with her, and the girl told herself that was fine. She didn't care. If the older woman didn't care, it only made Emma a fool to do so. What was worse to the girl was the reason the Queen was unhappy with her. 

The blonde understood that she had failed to fulfill her obligations as Regina's 'pet'. She hadn't behaved as the Queen's perfect Swan. She wasn't to complain or be unhappy, she was supposed to be pleasant and pleasing to the older woman. Just as she her parents expected her to be their Savior; pure and flawless.

Emma slapped the decorative pillows off the bed, grabbing at one that refused to fall and hauling the irksome pillow across the room. She didn't know who to be more upset with; Regina for making her a possession, her parents and Blue for forcing her into such a desperate position that belonging to the Queen was preferable over her previous situation, or herself for giving herself to the woman. Continuing her tantrum, Emma kicked at the sheets, pushing them down until she was able to slide underneath. Her emotions and the exhaustion finally catching up with her, the blonde collapsed forward on the bed, unable to hold her tears back any longer.

Emma wished she never would have been born with magic. She wished Regina would have cast the curse, sending everyone to a world without magic. So what, it didn't have happy endings, the girl didn't even think she believed in those, she certainly didn't see one for herself. At least there she could just be Emma, whoever that was. 

The brunette's frown deepened as she watched her Swan consumed by sobs. She could see the girl's body shaking and heaving. Regina reached her hand out to the mirror, feeling a desperate ache to soothe the blonde. She wrestled with the urge to go comfort the girl. Her girl. But she couldn't. Emma had made it clear she wanted to be alone, and Regina wasn't about to grovel for the girl's attention. No, she would just have to hope the blonde came down for dinner, the older woman could apologize and comfort her Swan then.

The Queen watched the scene reflected through the mirror a few more minutes. Thankfully, Emma seemed to succumb to sleep, her sobs slowly dying down, giving way to deep exhausted breaths. The brunette sighed, forcing herself away from the mirror. 

Regina reminded herself of the small issue concerning the girl's magic. It wasn't yet out of control, but the brunette had no intention of waiting for it to become a problem. She needed to take advantage of this time and come up with a plan. The older woman was nothing if not prudent. 

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Emma rubbed her eyes wearily, head throbbing from crying herself to sleep. The blonde pulled herself up against the headboard, glancing towards the window for an indication of time. Only a little while was left before Regina would be taking her dinner. Emma sighed, she wasn't sure if she would be joining the Queen or not.

A part of Emma understood why the brunette had used that awful moniker. The blonde even reminded herself that in the great scheme of things, maybe it wasn't that bad. Still, Emma felt betrayed. Regina had made her feel belittled. The woman had done exactly what she had promised not to, only the night before.

But if the blonde was being honest, everything with the dark haired woman was just the tip of the iceberg. Regina was easier to be angry at, she was there, and a part of Emma believed that the older woman cared. Which was more than she felt from her parents, they seemed to care about everyone and everything but her. Emma doubted that her parents even understood what they had done to her or how they had made her feel. They were upset right now, but not over what they had done. They were upset that their daughter wasn't under their control.

'And,' Emma thought. 'They're upset because I'm under the control of the Evil Queen.' The girl wrinkled her nose, she didn't like thinking of Regina that way, and she certainly didn't like thinking of herself as being under anyone's control. 

The girl knew that Regina treated her with more kindness and a gentleness she imagined the woman saved for a select few. That knowledge did make Emma feel special, chosen in an odd sort of way. But that wasn't enough, Emma needed more, and until she got that, she wasn't going to give all of herself to anyone or anything again. 

A knock on the door broke Emma from her thoughts. The blonde begrudgingly tossed the covers to the other side of the bed. As the girl made her way to the door, she wondered if Regina had come to speak with her. An apology would help things along, but Emma doubted that would happen.

The blonde opened the door, her mood instantly going from bad to worse when she saw who was outside her chamber. It was the hateful dark haired maid, beside her stood several young boys with large buckets of steaming water.

"Go on, fill the bath before the water cools." The woman pushed passed Emma with an air of superiority, not bothering to explain herself.

"What are you doing?" Emma asked, blinking at the rude woman. She wished the younger maid had come instead. She worked quickly and didn't speak to Emma, but at least she didn't make the blonde feel so insignificant. She wondered what this woman had against her.

The maid turned to Emma, giving her an amused look, as if the furniture had asked her a question. "I'm following the Queen's orders,". She paused, turning to the young boys. "If you've finished you better go on about your duties." She instructed, shooing them out the door. "Following your Queen's orders," the woman turned back to the girl. "Is something you may want to consider doing." The maid looked at her pointedly, then briskly continued into the bath chamber, pouring various oils and perfumes into the hot water. 

"Excuse me?" Emma asked in disbelief, following the woman. She didn't need the maid's advice, or appreciate the forwardness of the woman.

"You make things worse for yourself when you make her Majesty unhappy," the woman looked up at the blonde, she explained this, as if talking to a child. "That wouldn't matter to me, except you also make things worse for everyone else when you displease her." Emma felt the woman's eyes burning into her, making her shift uncomfortably. 

"I..I'm..sorry if.."

"I wonder what was going through that pretty head of yours, to come here begging the Queen for death." The maid snorted, shaking her head, dismissing the blonde entirely. Before Emma could respond the woman spoke up again. "Never mind now, it doesn't matter. You're here now and her Majesty has taken a liking to you, that's lucky for you. So let me give you some advice, little girl." The woman pushed herself up, walking towards the blonde. "Learn your place here."

Emma felt her blush deepening. That woman had no right to say those things to her. It was bad enough having Regina tell her how to behave, but she certainly wasn't going to take it from this maid. "You have no right to speak to me this way. I am a princess..." Emma heard the lack of conviction even as the words left her mouth. 

The maid crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes gleamed with amusement as she let out a soft chuckle. "Not here, you're not. Here, you belong to the Queen, just like everyone else belongs to her. You're no different than us or the others."

"Others?" Emma didn't want the awful woman in her room a moment longer, but curiosity got the best of her.

"All of the Queen's pets before you, you're not special, and it will do you well to remember that." The maid paused, tilting her head. " You didn't think..." The woman let out another icy chuckle. "Oh, you silly girl, your not the first, and I'm sure you won't be the last. That's why it's best you do whatever you must to keep the Queen pleased with you."

"I am not... I'm not her pet!" Emma spat, feeling a rage bubbling up from the pit of her stomach. Her face hot; equal parts anger and humiliation. "The bath is prepared, I think you can leave now." She pushed the words past clenched teeth.

"I've only told you the truth, girl." The maid walked out of the bath chamber, as she reached the door to the hall, the woman looked back at the blonde. "You know what they say; if it walks like a duck...or in your case, I suppose swan would be more appropriate." The woman smiled cruelly, before turning and closing the door behind her.

Emma stared at the closed door, blinking in disbelief. She wanted to chase the woman out the door, down the hall and yell at her, scream at her, tell her what she said wasn't true. But she couldn't. Emma had a sinking feeling in her stomach. The maid had a point. As much as the blonde hated to admit it, the woman was right. Emma had no power, no place to reprimand the servant. She wasn't a princess, not here, not anywhere. 

The girl pushed back the urge to cry. She was sick of crying and feeling weak. Emma didn't have a clear plan, but in that moment she promised herself that she wasn't going to live like this forever. She refused to be powerless forever. Right now she needed Regina, she was the only person willing to teach her magic, and Emma knew that would be the only way to change her situation. If her obedience was what the Queen wanted, she would get it, but now the Emma was giving it because she had to, not because she wanted to. Maybe she wasn't a princess, but she surely wasn't a pet, not even Regina's.

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Regina was surprised to see the blonde already seated at the large dining table. Surprised, but relieved. Emma took what had become her usual seat, just to the right of the Queen's chair.

"I'm glad to see that you decided to join me for dinner." It was Regina's attempt at an apology. The brunette studied the girl. Emma gave her a curt nod and a tight half smile. After what the woman had viewed through her mirror Regina had expected to find the girl in an emotional state. The brunette had planned on using it to repair whatever damage had been done, by comforting the blonde. But Emma seemed pulled together. The woman knew that logically, she should have taken it as a sign of progress, but something inside her was telling her otherwise.  
"You're feeling better." Regina stated smoothly, sliding into her seat gracefully. 

"Yes. Thank you." Emma folded her hands into her lap, replying with perfect politeness. She didn't want to give the brunette cause to be upset with her, nor did she want to be on the receiving end of the Queen's temper. But Emma was hurt and angry, and she wasn't in the mood to give Regina whatever she wanted. She didn't want to give all of herself. Not if the woman couldn't meet her halfway. 

Regina eyed the girl up and down, trying to figure out what had the blonde behaving so strangely. The older woman shook the bell on the edge of the table, waving her hand, indicating that she was ready to be served.  
"Did you go back to sleep?" Regina asked casually, pretending to inspect the cutlery. 

"Yes, I was still exhausted." The blonde answered, sipping from her goblet. 

"That's normal. Using magic can take a lot out of you, until you learn to control it." Regina replied, busying herself with the plate set down before her. The brunette used her fork to study the food on the silver plater.

"I know." Emma replied, shifting in her seat uncomfortably. She copied the actions of the older woman, trying to appear uninterested, almost bored with her company.

Regina set her fork down, careful not to throw it, but gently guide it back onto the plate. The woman cleared her throat, counting to ten as she did so.  
"What's going on, Emma?" The older woman held the girl's eyes, staring pensively. 

"Nothing." The blonde remained flippant, shrugging her shoulders.

"Do you have anything you want to talk about?" The Queen prodded, arching her brow, it was out of character for Emma to be so standoffish.

"There's not really anything to talk about, is there?" Emma held the brunette's eyes for a moment before looking down at her plate. It was harder to stick to the promise she had made to herself, now that she was in the same room as the woman.

Regina pursed her lips, her eyes creased at the side, she tried to pinpoint exactly what was wrong. "Something is clearly wrong, Emma-"

"I told you, nothing is wrong." The blonde snapped, interrupting the older woman.

"What did I tell you about lying to me?" The brunette's voice dipped dangerously low, her eyebrow arched impossibly high. If Emma wasn't going to be forthcoming with her thoughts, Regina would just have to force them from the girl.

"Just because you believe that I belong to you, that doesn't mean you own right to my thoughts or feelings." The calm, quietness of the blonde's words made them hit harder than if she would have yelled them at the Queen. 

Regina took a deep breath, biting the inside of her cheek until she was hit with the metallic taste of blood. It seemed the more she pushed, the less she got from the blonde, and it was infuriating. As she debated beating the insolence out of the girl, she remembered the scene from her mirror. The older woman frowned at the image. She took another deep breath, wrapped her fingers around the arms of her throne and remained seated, trying to regain her patience.

"Emma," Regina's face softened. "Go to my chambers. I'll be up shortly." The woman spoke as gently as she could manage. The Queen felt a migraine coming on.

Emma's eyes widened, she inwardly berated herself for pushing the Queen. She hadn't accomplished anything, she hadn't gained any real power from holding back from Regina. All she earned from this display was a still empty stomach and now the brunette was probably going to punish her.

For a brief moment before leaving, a strange look crossed Emma's face. The girl tilted her head, brows furrowed, her eyes searched over the brunette. Before Regina could make sense of the look, Emma disappeared in a cloud of blue smoke. It didn't go unnoticed by the older woman that the almost transparent blue pigment of Emma's magic seemed to have gained a deeper, more solid color.

'One problem at a time,' Regina reminded herself. The girl's magic needed to be managed, but it wasn't a priority tonight. Tonight she needed to reassure her Swan, and find out what it was that had the blonde so worked up. Regina knew she had played a part in Emma's unhappiness, but she had a feeling there was more to it than that. 

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Regina stood at the entrance of her chambers, gathering her wits and patience before she pushed open the doors. The woman desperately wanted to remain calm and collected. She had to if she hoped to repair what was wrong with the girl. 'My girl,' she smiled to herself before entering her chamber.

Emma looked up when she heard the doors creak open, then turned her head away, wiping her face of any tears. The blonde had debated pleading her case, she really didn't think she had broken any rules, but she didn't want to give Regina that satisfaction. The girl would take whatever the Queen saw fit to do to her, Emma couldn't stand the thought of begging right now.

"I'm having dinner brought up here. You haven't had anything since breakfast and you need to eat." Regina said evenly as she walked into the large room. She didn't expect the girl to respond, it was said to break the silence and buy some time. The dark haired woman thought about the previous night, of all the instances in the short time of knowing the blonde that the girl had made herself vulnerable. Willingly made herself vulnerable to the older woman. Tonight, Regina would have to do some of the work.

"Emma," the brunette started cautiously, thinking not for the first time, how much more work a person was when you didn't have control over them. It would be so much easier if she had the girl's heart. 'And that much more boring,' she reminded herself.  
"I am terribly sorry for calling you...that." Regina properly apologized for the first time, and to her surprise it wasn't as bad as she had imagined. Slowly the woman took a seat next to the blonde. Emma continued to look away, she fought against the instinct to lean into the older woman. Sitting in such close proximity to the brunette, it could be easy to forget everything, to just let go and give in, a part of her yearned for that. But she wouldn't, she couldn't just give in. Emma took in a deep breath and held it, forcing her body stiffly.

"I don't apologize often, Emma.." Regina softly moved her arm to the girl's elbow, running her hand around the blonde's arm, down to her wrist, gently rubbing the sensitive flesh. "But I really am sorry for...hurting you."

Emma bit her bottom lip, she reminded herself that despite what the older woman said, she was about to be punished. In that light, the apology didn't really hold much weight. "Can we just get this over with?" She asked, staring straight ahead, her voice dry, but thankfully even.

"I am trying to apologize to you!" The Queen spat, raising from her place next to the blonde. "Are you trying to make me punish you?" She asked, leaning into the girl's face, finally getting Emma's attention.

"Isn't that why you dismissed me from dinner? Isn't that why I'm here?" Emma started out strong, but her voice began to break, as her emotions pushed through. She held her breath, trying not to let the dam of tears and emotions run loose.

Emma felt the woman sit back down. She could feel the woman's body next to her, the urge to seek comfort from Regina was so great, the girl wanted to physically push the woman away. Emma didn't need one more thing to feel powerless towards.

"That's not why I sent you up here." Regina finally spoke, her voice strained.

"It's not?" Emma blurted, her confusion breaking some of her cold facade.

"No, Emma." Regina shook her head, moving her arm around the girl's waist. It took everything in Emma not to lean against the woman and wrap her own arm around Regina. Instead, the blonde held her hands together tightly.

"I wanted to apologize for hurting you, and..." The woman paused, trying to figure out the best way to phrase her thoughts. "Emma, I know something's wrong, I don't know what exactly, other than what I said...but I know something is very wrong." Regina pulled the girl's stiff body closer to her own.

Emma finally turned towards the woman, her eyes cast down, still not quite meeting the brunette's. She was afraid all of her resolve would be broken if she allowed herself to make eye contact with the woman. "You must think I'm foolish." The blonde finally spoke, sounding like herself for the first time since she passed out.

"What? Why would you say that..?" Regina's brow wrinkled, her free hand going up to the girl's cheek, gently turning her Swan until the girl faced her. "Emma, why do you think that?" The older woman rubbed her thumb along the blonde's cheek as she waited. 

Emma's lashes fluttered as she blinked. "Because I'm..." The blonde spoke softly, not exactly sure how to explain, not sure if she even wanted to. "I am just a pet to you, the same way my parents think of me as their Savior."

"I don't.." Regina interrupted, but Emma shook her head, indicating that she wasn't finished.

Just as Emma began to continue there was a knock on the door, interrupting the conversation. The Queen got up from the bed and allowed her servants in, warning them to be quick about their task. Once the feast had been set out on the balcony and the blonde and brunette returned to their privacy, Regina returned to her girl.  
"Do you want to eat or talk first?" She looked down at the blonde.

"I'm really not hungry." Emma frowned. She was hungry, but her stomach was in knots and she didn't think she could eat.

"Alright, talk first." The brunette exhaled as she sat next to the girl and waited.

"It's not all your fault," the girl finally started up again, her voice barely more than a whisper. Emma felt the woman's hand move to her own. "It's just... I don't know, all of these feelings..all of the things that I try not to let upset me...things that make me feel..." The blonde paused, her chin wobbling, she turned her head down. Emma inhaled, vaguely thinking that she wished her hair hung loose and free to hide behind. "All of these feelings I push away, burry inside of myself... It feels like they all came bubbling to the surface. And now there's no way to push them back down..." Emma felt the older woman squeeze her hand.  
"Magic is emotion.." Regina offered.

"I know that...but now I... I can't stop thinking about everything... About my parents....and...Blue...and.." Emma slowly raised her eyes to the Queen's. So much for her resolve, Emma thought, as she felt the dam about to break. The girl's nose was scrunched up, her eyes glassy.

"And me.." Regina whispered, moving closer to the blonde. Emma nodded.

"You must think I'm some foolish little girl...running after you, even after you've made it clear that... That you don't...that you won't...love me." Emma's voice broke and tapered off. 

Regina wrapped her arm around the blonde, pulling the girl against her. Emma tried to remain rigid, keep up her defense. But a few strokes down her arm by the older woman, and Emma was unable to hold back from what her body and heart so desperately craved. Soon, she found herself leaning her head against the brunette. A part of her loved that Regina could so easily soothe her, and a part of her hated that the woman had so much power over her.

"I feel so stupid." The blonde whispered as she covered her face with her hands. "Stupid and weak." She mumbled into her hands, hating herself for admitting to the fact.

"No. Please don't feel that way, Emma." The older woman pressed her lips against the girls temple. Emma made no sound, but Regina could feel the girl's body tremble, her body rising and falling with her silent sobs. "You're not stupid, or foolish, Emma..." The brunette paused, holding the girl's head against her chest. Emma told herself to pull away, kept repeating it to herself, but it felt too good. She needed the physical comfort from Regina, even if she didn't want to need it.  
"And you're not weak," Regina continued. "Don't you remember what I told you last night?" Regina held the girl out at arm's length. "Look at me, Emma." It was soft, and gentle, but there was no mistaking the command. Slowly, Emma raised her head, pulling her hands down just enough to expose wide, watery eyes, red with shed tears. "I promise, if you do as I ask, you will never have cause to feel powerless again." The brunette cupped the girl's face with both of her hands, using her thumbs to wipe away any remaining tears. "As for love, Emma, love is for the weak. It's for people that don't have power. Trust me when I tell you this, love is useless, destructive even. It can take a strong person and make them weak. I don't want that for either of us." Regina explained, the best way she knew how.

"So, you don't love me because you don't want to be weak?" The blonde tilted her head up towards the woman, her eyebrows raised around wide eyes.

Regina sighed, looking down at the girl. "I don't," the brunette furrowed her brows, the center of her forehead wrinkling as an odd look passed over her face. The woman couldn't say what she meant to say, not with the blonde looking up at her in that wide eyed way. Regina raised her head until she was looking across the room. Now she could say the words. "I don't... Love you... Because I don't want to make you weak, or...or put you in harms way." The woman paused, "and I suppose you're correct, I don't want to be weak either.."

Emma thought about what the Queen said. It should have hurt to hear Regina verbally confirm that she would not love her, that she didn't love her, but it gave the girl an odd tingling feeling, something she couldn't quite put her finger on. Maybe it was just that Regina was right. She already had so much power over her, Emma thought perhaps love would only make things worse. A part of her wanted to pursue this discussion and that odd feeling, but being unable to articulate her feelings, the blonde decided it better to move the conversation along. 

"Regina... I guess..I...I know you didn't mean what you said...when you called me that...but..it still.."

"It hurt." The brunette finished for the girl, stroking her head she felt Emma nod against her. "And I am very sorry, Emma... I didn't mean to hurt you. I just thought you needed a little push, I want to empower you. That's all I was doing... I don't think of you like that."

"I know that..." Emma sighed, "but that's how other people see me... Just another one of your pets, that you will grow tired of soon enough." The girl paused, about to ask further on this subject, but Regina stopped her, pushing her out at arms length again.

"Other people...?" The brunette's forehead creased, her dark eyes searching over the girl. "What other people? Emma, what are you talking about?" Regina shook her head, not understanding the blonde.

"Well....your servants...they think that." Emma bit her bottom lip, thinking of the awful woman from earlier. 

"Emma..." Regina began softly, "did someone say something to you? Was someone mean to you?" The older woman's nostrils flared as she asked the last question, her grip on Emma's shoulders becoming tighter.

The blonde blinked back at the woman, not entirely sure how to answer. A part of her thought maybe she was being silly, she didn't want to make a big commotion over nothing, and she certainly didn't want Regina to think she was overreacting. But just replaying in her mind, what that woman had said to her made Emma's blood feel as if it was about to boil. 

"Emma?" Regina asked, more forceful when the girl didn't answer.

The blonde moved her hands away from the woman's waist, inspecting her nails. "It's... It's nothing." She finally said, looking down at her lap.

"It's obviously something. Tell me what happened." The woman prodded.

"I don't know her name... I didn't ask...." The blonde started slowly. "She tried to serve me dinner the other night...and she...well she just referred to me as 'the Queen's Swan'." Emma imitated the lilt in the woman's voice. "And, I guess that's not so bad, but I don't like other people calling me that... It's... Just between us, you know?" The blonde looked up to the older woman. Regina didn't comment, but the girl had gotten to know the Queen well enough that she recognized the woman's anger, even behind the collected facade. The side of the brunette's lip twitched slightly up into a snarl, and the woman's breathing increased, her full red lips parted slightly.

"Yes, I agree. I don't appreciate anyone else using such a personal term of affection towards you, least of all one of my servants." Regina spat the last word out as if it left a bad taste in her mouth. "Is that all?" The older woman arched her perfect brow quizzically. 

"N-no..." Emma stammered, biting her lip. The servant had hurt her feelings, and a part of the girl hated to admit it, but she did want the woman put in her place, she wanted to show her that she was more than the Queen's pet. But she also knew Regina's temper, and she didn't feel that the servant deserved to be punished too terribly. 

"What else, Emma? I sent her to prepare your bath this afternoon... Did she say...or do something that upset you?"

The girl continued to stare at the older woman, her head tilted, bottom lip between her teeth, a look of uncertainty in her eyes. "What are you going to do to her?"

"Well it depends on what she did to you." The brunette answered flatly, crossing her arms over her chest.

"It really wasn't anything, Regina. She just said some things that.... that weren't very nice." Emma began to backtrack, wondering if she should have even mentioned it.

"Emma, you're a princess, you're royalty, and further more, you're mine. When someone disrespects you, they disrespect me. And I will not tolerate that." Regina paused, noticing the odd look on the girl's face. "You don't think of yourself as royalty do you?" The woman asked slowly, as she came to the realization. 

Emma looked down at her lap, feeling flushed, she swallowed several times. Until earlier that day, she had never thought about it, but Regina was right. "Ugh...I know that...that I am.."

"Of course you know," the dark haired woman rolled her eyes. "But do you understand what that means? Do you think of yourself as a princess?"

"No, I don't think of myself like that!" The blonde practically laughed, it sounded pretentious.

"Well you need to start thinking of yourself that way. I can't believe your mother never bothered to teach you about leading a kingdom. Actually, of course she didn't." The Queen paused, softening her face and her tone. "You have to learn how to rule, Emma...you can't allow people to speak to you with anything less than respect, otherwise you'll be viewed as a pushover and no one will respect you."

"I don't like hurting people.." Emma interjected, her eyes wide. She wondered why this even mattered to the Queen. 

"If someone hurts you, you hurt them back, Emma. I know that sounds cruel, but believe me. If you don't stand up for yourself, then those same people will continue to hurt you, others will see that, and think they can do the same. It's self preservation, my Swan, it's not just cruelness for sport." Regina put her arm over the blonde as she finished, tilting her head to get a look at the girl's face. "I want my people to know that they must treat you with the same respect that they would show to me." She whispered to the girl, pressing warm lips against her temple. 

Emma thought about what the Queen said. In some ways she saw the logic in the woman's words, and she was so very tired of being walked all over. And she really didn't know the first thing about being a princess or ruling a kingdom. Honestly, she was royalty by name only, she had never lived that life. Still, she didn't know what sort of punishment Regina would see fit to dole out to the servant and that made her less forthcoming.

"How about this," Regina started, sensing the girl's uneasiness. " You tell me what happened, and if I feel it deserves a disciplinary action, then you can decide on the punishment. Would that make you feel more comfortable?" The older woman waited as Emma thought this over.

"You'll let me decide?" She finally asked.

"Yes, you need to learn and this will be a good exercise for you." Regina took the girl's hand in her own, giving her a reassuring squeeze. 

"Alright," the blonde inhaled deeply before recalling the incident for the dark haired woman.


	19. Part 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for continuing to stick with me on this story! I eagerly await your thoughts and comments, as always! Thank you so much, I hope you enjoy it!
> 
>  
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"I'll have that ingrate's tongue cut out for speaking to you that way." Regina had remained quiet and calm as she sat next to her girl, listening to the blonde recount her ordeal, but the brunette couldn't hold her temper back any longer. 

"Regina!" Emma gasped. Her wide eyes searched the woman's face.

"You're a princess, you're royalty, she knows better than that."

The girl's eyes creased at the sides, she shook her head. "I'm not, Regina. We both know that, and-"

"What do you mean? How can you say that?" The Queen interrupted.

"She's right. I belong to you, you've said it yourself... I've said it.." Emma's brow furrowed, thinking back to her admission the other night. 

"Just because you belong to me doesn't negate the fact that you are royalty, Emma." Regina explained, a knot twisting in her stomach as she looked at her Swan. The blonde looked tired and defeated, and not that different from her first day at the castle. The Queen frowned, wondering if she had done this to the girl. It was simple in Regina's mind; the girl belonged to her, without a doubt, but that didn't mean she wasn't still royalty.

"Your mother never talked to you about this at all?" She finally asked in disbelief. Regina couldn't imagine Snow not bragging about her perfect bloodline, and for some reason her mind began to turn over her childhood memories of her own mother. Cora had quite literally beat it into her, from an early age, that she was royalty, and would behave as such.

"Why would she? I'm their Savior, not their daughter." It was said so plainly, so matter of fact, Emma surprised herself with the admission. It hadn't hurt until she realized the honest truth of it.

Regina winced, feeling her temper begin to rise. "No," She took the girl's chin in her hands, tilting Emma's head until her wide green eyes met her own. "Not anymore you're not. You're my Swan, and you're my Princess." Regina stated, her voice husky, nose to nose with the blonde. 

Emma swallowed, unable to tear her eyes from the Queen's. Regina's words sent a spark through her body, the statement was unmistakably possessive, but there was something else there too. It felt secure, it felt safe. She belonged to Regina now, and the woman wasn't going to love her. Simple as that. But it felt better to be the Evil Queen's Swan, than being the wayward daughter of a perfect Queen. Regina could make her feel a lot of emotions, not all of them pleasant, but she didn't feel flawed when she saw her reflection in the brunette's eyes. Regina had yet to make her feel as if she fell short of who she should be.

"Yes?" The brunette prodded, arching her perfect brow and tapping the girl's chin with her index finger, when the blonde only stared at her mutely.

"Yes." Emma breathed out the agreement.

"Good girl." Regina praised, making Emma's insides twist pleasurably. "If someone disrespects you, they disrespect me, Emma. I don't think I need to tell you, but that is not something I tolerate, and it's not something you will tolerate either. Not anymore." The older woman paused, looking over her girl. "Do you remember what I told you last night? That, the only person you answer to is me?"

"Yes," Emma nodded, her full attention on the woman in front of her.

Regina smiled, the way the girl looked at her made a warmness spread through her body. She took the blonde's hand in her own. "I have plans for you, Emma."

"Plans....? What do you mean?" Emma leaned back, studying the brunette cautiously. She wondered what more Regina could have in mind for her.

"Don't look so skeptical, dear. One day I want you to rule, at my side, of course." The brunette clarified, smiling smugly. "There's me, and there's you, Emma," she continued, her voice husky "The rest of this world will kneel to us." Regina finished, running her hand down the length of the girl's braid.

Emma stared at the woman, unable to look away, she could hear the thumping of her heart beating in her ears. The air in the room hung heavy, and she felt as if she needed to say something, but she couldn't find her voice. "Why? Why would you want... me?" The blonde finally managed. 

"Why wouldn't I?" The woman asked, releasing the golden hair from the braid, idly running her fingers through the wavy strands. "We both know what it's like to be used, to feel utterly powerless," Regina paused, sounding far away. "And more importantly," she continued, regaining the conviction in her voice. "We've both been hurt by the same people."

"Regina I'm not-"

"I would never ask that you purposefully do something that would bring harm to your parents." The Queen interrupted the blonde before Emma could say anymore. "They've exploited you; disregarded who you are in pursuit of their own desires. Instead of celebrating you, they made you feel ashamed, they let that glorified fairy torture you. But despite all of the pain they've caused you...they are still your parents. I know it would hurt you to do something harmful to them, and I think you've gone through enough." Regina paused, tucking a wavy strand of golden hair behind the girl's ear.

Emma was looking at the woman rather awestruck, her dewy eyes wide and questioning. "How.. How did you know, they made me feel that way?" The blonde asked, somewhat unnerved by how easily the older woman articulated all that she had felt.

"You told me, Emma." The brunette replied, tossing her hand in the air dismissively. The answer was so obvious to her. "I listen to what you tell me," Regina wrapped her arm around the girl's waist. "I listened when you told me how your parents shuffled you around all your life. The constant pressure they put on you to be something other than the beautiful creature you are." The older woman reached out, grabbing the blondes chin, she stopped Emma from looking down. "You told me how they tried to take away your magic, a gift only a chosen few posses. I'm not one to speak on the morality of actions, but just doing this, in theory is... despicable." Regina's lip curled as she spat the words out, but her hand tugged gently around Emma's waist.   
"I couldn't believe it when you told me those idiots had actually gone through with such an inhumane and half brained idea, on their own daughter, no less." The brunette moved the hand holding the girl's chin, caressing her Swan's cheek with the back of her fingers. Regina felt a warmth spread from her abdomen as Emma leaned against her touch. "I'm not going to pretend that I know how painful... How traumatic that must have been." She continued stroking the girl's cheek, speaking softly. "But I know it was bad enough to send you running off to what you assumed would be the end of your life." 

Hearing Regina speak so candidly made the blonde feel exposed, almost raw. She had to look down, focusing on her hands, the print of the brunette's dress, anything but the pent up storm of emotion buried within her. The woman spoke on what Emma could barely allow herself to feel, and as vulnerable as it made her to have Regina see her pain so clearly, it also felt freeing. The blonde felt validated, Regina didn't think her feelings were trivial. "Sometimes I feel like...like I'm bad for being upset... I try not to think about it. I really try, but when...when I let myself," Emma brought a trembling hand to her face, wiping off the few tears that had fallen. "I don't want to feel this....way. But," the blonde raised her head, meeting Regina's eyes. The woman stared back at her patiently, no judgment glaring back at the girl, just soft, warm, understanding eyes. "Sometimes I feel so....angry." Emma whispered as if it was a horrible secret.

"Don't be ashamed of your feelings, my dear Swan. You're right to feel whatever way you do. Your parents took your love for them and twisted it, they used it against you in the worst way possible."

Emma thought she had already cried all that she could, but having her feelings acknowledged, having heard them said aloud, made it that much more real. "Is that..." The girl started but her sobs quickly took over. Emma felt the older woman pull her closer, as nice as it felt, she was tired of breaking down in front of the Queen. She was tired of feeling weak.

"I'm sorry for crying.... For always crying." Emma mumbled into her hands, her voice heavy and broken.

"You don't need to apologize, Emma. Give yourself this one last good cry, and then be done with it." Regina guided her girl's head against her chest. She could feel the ragged little breaths the blonde inhaled, sobbing silently into the crook of the woman's neck. Regina cooed patiently, gently running her fingers through the curly strands of golden hair, tucking the girl's head under her chin. "Shhhh...it's alright, Princess. Once you're finished, you're not going to waste anymore tears on them." Regina found herself genuinely upset over the blonde's tears, yet this was exactly what she had hoped for at dinner. This was exactly where she needed Emma.

"Is that what you mean? How love makes you weak?" Emma finally managed, wiping tears from her face as they refused to cease. 

"Love can weaken a person in many different ways, Emma. But, yes, that's exactly what I mean."

"I'm so tired of feeling...weak." The blonde uttered, head against the woman's chest. Regina was right, Emma thought, had it not been for the love of her parents, she never could have been hurt so badly by them.

"You're not going to be weak anymore. Let it all out, as much as you need, because once you've finished that's it. No more crying, because you're too strong for that. You're not going to be a victim anymore."

"I still don't want to hurt them, Regina." Emma said after a few minutes, her tears almost dry.

"I already told you; I would never ask that of you." Regina couldn't waste this opportunity, she planned her words carefully. "I just want to make sure that they aren't able to hurt you ever again, and that you get what's owed to you. That we both get what's owed to us."

"Wha-whats owed to me? What do you mean?"

"You're a princess, one day you will have to take on the responsibilities of your birthright, Emma." Regina explained, moving the girl until she was able to look at her face. The older woman wiped away any remaining tears. "Don't worry about it right now." The brunette consoled, seeing the cautious look on the girl's face. "You have a ways to go before you're ready to start taking over kingdoms." Regina studied the girl, looking over her quietly. She was rather pleasantly surprised to find that Emma had no verbal objections, she just stared at the older woman with that intensely reverent look in her eye.

"What do you want me to do?" Emma finally asked, all that the woman said still sinking in.

"Right now? Right now, I want you to eat something, then I want us to deal with a certain insolent servant."

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"I really just want an apology, Regina." Emma stated, pushing her plate away. 

"An apology?" The brunette asked, sounding personally insulted. "Emma, her apology to you is a given. We don't ask servants for apologies. No. That's not a severe enough reprimand."

"I don't want her to be....whipped." The blonde grimaced as she said the word. 

"Well, then, what do you suggest?" Regina arched her brow, quizzically. 

Emma looked down at the remains of her plate, trying to think of something that would satisfy both herself, and the woman beside her. "I'm not sure.." She mumbled quietly. 

"I know this part isn't very enjoyable, Emma, but responsibility does come along with a title. Besides, it's better than the alternative." Regina reached out her arm, latching onto the girl's hand, squeezing gently.

"The alternative being...not having a title?" Emma looked up, raising her brows.

"The alternative being not having any power." The brunette corrected, softly.

"Oh," was all the blonde uttered. Some of the things the Queen said seemed awful, or didn't seem to make sense, so much of it went against what Emma had been told growing up. However, the more the girl thought about it, the more Regina explained herself, the more it made sense. It seemed almost as if, the older woman was the first person ever to be honest with Emma in her entire life. Regina certainly seemed to understand her better than most. True, the Queen wasn't one to tell you what you wanted to hear, but, perhaps, Emma thought, it's better to be told what you need to hear, even if it is unpleasant.   
"What's her name?" The girl asked abruptly.

"Her name..?" Regina wrinkled her forehead, confused by the question at first. "Oh, you mean the maid? It's.." The brunette paused, looking off into the distance. "I think it's Beatrice... I'm not sure. Emma, I do have more important things to do, besides sitting around memorizing the names of my servants." Regina found herself getting rather defensive. 

"What's her title here?" Emma prodded, ignoring Regina's mood swing. 

"Castle maid, she's responsible for most of the other servants." The brunette leaned back in her seat, feeling more comfortable with questions she knew the answer to.

"Would demoting her...would that be a sufficient reprimand?"

Regina furrowed her brow in thought. The maid was good at her job, the Queen didn't necessarily want to lose good help. But, this was Emma's decision to make. Not because she had to allow her Swan the power to make it, but because she needed to allow the girl the feeling of power. "That's almost sufficient, I would recommend at least a week in one of the dungeon cells." Regina finally gave in, receiving a grateful look from her girl. "But, can we do it temporarily? I think a month as a scullery maid should properly adjust her attitude." The brunette asked, wanting Emma to feel she held the control in this situation. Regina raised her perfect brow, she waited for the blonde's consent.

"Y-you're asking me?" Emma finally asked after an awkward silence. The girl couldn't believe Regina was seeking her approval. She thought about what that awful maid had said, that she was like all the others. Emma had wanted to ask Regina about this, she still did, but in this moment, she didn't think it was true.

"Yes dear, a question is most commonly used to either ascertain some form of knowledge, or to be granted permission. In this case it's the latter." The brunette replied sarcastically, but she was unable to hide her small smile. 

Emma let out a small breath, "yes, temporary is fine." She looked down, thinking a moment. "Thank you," she added rather solemnly.

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Regina sat on the throne in the hall, her Swan sitting to the right of her, golden curls cascading down her back. The brunette took a minute to enjoy the visual scene before her. She wished Snow was present, thinking on how awful a sight the idiotic woman would find this. Regina studied the blonde, deciding she preferred the girl sitting next to her, rather than shackled and on her knees, in this situation at least. Regina smiled smugly to herself.

Emma looked towards the Queen, shifting awkwardly in her seat, she tried to sit up straighter. Not for the first time, she thought about how regal the dark haired woman appeared. Regina made it look so easy, it seemed absolutely natural for her.

"Stop fidgeting, Emma." Regina leaned over, quietly whispering her instructions to the girl. She looked the blonde over. Emma had stopped fidgeting, opting to bite her lip instead. Regina felt a smile tugging at her lips, her Swan was anxious. The brunette placed her hand over the girl's. "Don't be nervous, you're exactly where you should be."

Emma nodded, swallowing as she released her bottom lip from between white teeth. Regina seemed always able to calm her. "What should I say?" She whispered urgently.

"I'll start, just follow my lead. You can say whatever you like." Regina smoothed her hand over the skirt of her dress, as the guards escorted the maid into the hall.

Emma's heart beat picked up a pace or two as she laid eyes on the servant. The woman didn't look quite as intimidating with a guard holding her on either side. Emma searched the woman's face, trying to make eye contact. But the maid, who had no problem staring her down earlier, now kept her eyes respectfully downcast. Emma had a nagging feeling, a voice in the back of her mind reminding her that she should feel bad, she should take pity on the woman. Maybe she should have felt that way. But, for the first time in her life, Emma didn't feel like a victim. She didn't feel like a pawn just waiting for fate to send her this way or that. She was in control.

Emma looked back over to Regina, soaking up each detail. The way the Queen stared the woman down, sitting so perfectly still, her face unreadable. The Princess noted the way Regina's calm facade increased the tension in the air, the way it made the maid squirm under the Queen's gaze. Emma could feel pure power radiating off the brunette, the air felt charged and electric. Dangerous and thrilling at once, and she didn't think she had ever been more enthralled with the woman.

Regina finally cleared her throat, pushing off the arms of her throne as she stood up. "It's come to my attention," the Queen started, walking towards the maid, shoulders back, her head high. "That there seems to be a misunderstanding that requires some clarification." 

The maid didn't look up, but kept her gaze strictly glued to the stone floor beneath her. "I apologize my Queen, I-"

"Did I ask you to speak?" Regina asked, her voice piercing, reverberating off the walls, Emma almost jumped in her seat at the sound. She watched as the Queen put her arm out, her fingers curled as if grasping something in the air. Immediately, the maid urgently tried to bring her hands to her throat, leaning back rigidly, the woman looked as if she was being choked. Emma wrestled within herself, feeling as if she should try to stop Regina, but something held her back. "It's not me that you need to apologize to," the Queen looked back towards her motioning for Emma to come stand with her.

For a moment, Emma didn't think she could move, she just continued to stare, her eyes wide at the scene before her. She hadn't expected this, and she wasn't sure she liked it, but she wasn't sure she didn't, either. She shouldn't like it, the girl told herself, as she swallowed, slowly getting up. 

As she closed the space between them, Emma tried searching her mind, she should be stopping Regina, she should be disgusted by what she saw. Her parents would want her to be. She frowned, the thought of her parents clouding her thoughts. No, they wouldn't want her to have any part in this. But when had they ever been truly concerned with her best interest? Emma wasn't sure that she valued the opinion of two people that clearly cared so little for her. Who were they to make a judgment on right or wrong?

Before she could say a word, Regina took her arm, pulling her closer. She took the girl's hand, joining it with her outstretched one. Emma glanced over at the Queen, her brows furrowed, she tried to pull her arm back, but Regina quickly shot her an icy look. It only took a moment before she felt her magic kick in, stirring up from her abdomen, Emma could feel it rising throughout her body; heady, and powerful, and almost divine. This was much more intense than any time before, and she couldn't help but wonder how much of it was her and how much of it was Regina.

She focused on the servant in front of her. What she was doing was awful, Regina shouldn't have forced her to do this, she didn't want this. But, she wondered, if that was true, why did it feel so good? Good was an understatement, it felt right. Emma had never felt so exhilarated in all her life. She felt in control, she felt untouchable. Superior.

Emma glanced at the Queen. The older woman gave her a knowing smile as she nodded, gently ushering her forward, until Emma was in front, pressing her body against the girl's back, slowly moving her outstretched arm down to wrap around Emma's waist. "It feels good, doesn't it Princess?" Regina purred into the blonde's ear.

Emma stared back, afraid of admitting to just how wonderful it did feel. She felt almost high, as if she had drank too much port, but not sloppy or out of control. No. She was very much pulled together and in control. She wondered if this was how Regina felt. 

"Go on, Emma. She's all yours, show her that you won't tolerate such disobedience." The Queen whispered seductively, rubbing her palm against the girl's lower stomach.

Emma cleared her throat, unsure of herself. But Regina was there, the woman was doing this for her, and Emma had no interest in disappointing the Queen. And she wasn't ready to give up the feeling of absolute power coursing through her veins. "You were very rude to me." The girl cringed, she didn't sound anything like the brunette when she spoke. Emma thought maybe she couldn't do this. It was silly, the maid was right, she really wasn't a princess. She turned towards Regina, trying to come up with an excuse, but when she met the Queen's eyes, she couldn't bring herself to object. She didn't want to. Emma felt her confidence begin to return, and as it did, she felt her magic spike, sending a pleasurable shiver through her, giving her goosebumps. She focused back on the maid, and this time she didn't see an old woman sputtering and choking, eyes begging for mercy. This time she saw a lowly servant that had horribly disrespected her, someone that thought they could walk all over her, just as everyone else had.

The Princess straightened herself, "you spoke out of turn to me, you were disrespectful and you questioned my authority." Emma tried to emulate Regina the best that she could. A small nod from the Queen was all the approval that she needed to continue. "You didn't think I was royalty, or even worth your time, this afternoon." Her voice gained more conviction as she continued. Letting go of her trepidation, the blonde allowed herself to bask in the pleasure of wielding such power. Without realizing, Emma began to pull her fingers closer together, tightening the magical hold around the maid's throat. "How dare you treat me as if I was nothing!" The girl yelled through gritted teeth. "You need to pay for your behavior." She said icily, oddly satisfied with herself. Emma had gotten lost in herself, failing to notice the change of color in the maid's face. The woman's complexion had began to turn dangerously pale, fighting in vain to release the hold around her throat.

"Easy, dear." Regina whispered quietly, so that only Emma could hear her. The Queen softly ran her hand up the girl's arm, loosening the blonde's grasp. Rather stunned by what she had done, Emma pulled her arm back, letting out a small gasp. She felt the magic slowly settling within her, but she could still feel the high of such power lingering. 

"I...I.. apologize... Your Highness." The maid sputtered, addressing the Princess, as she fell to her knees, gasping for air. "Please have mercy on me, your Majesty." She begged of the Queen.

"Luckily, for you, I'm not the one doling out your punishment." Regina stepped closer, grabbing the maid by her hair and jerking her head back. "If it was up to me, you would be tied up and whipped bloody. But the Princess has decided to be merciful." The brunette turned her attention back to the girl. "Princess, how would you like to punish this wretched servant?"

"Lock her in the dungeon for a week, then let her return to work, but she starts back at the bottom; as a scullery maid." Emma halfheartedly berated herself for finding so much enjoyment in this. She told herself again how wrong this was, how wrong she was. But then, Regina gave her a proud smile that sent her heart soaring and made her breath catch. The afterglow of power, combined with the knowledge that she had pleased the brunette, was all it took to scatter any doubts the girl had. Emma felt weightless, all worries and pain seeping out of her, she was almost giddy. The blonde felt strong, confident, she felt like someone that mattered. 

Emma knew she had Regina to thank for this. The so-called Evil Queen, whom she now knew she couldn't love, but maybe there were better things she could offer the brunette. Her loyalty, her obedience, and something close to worship. She had to fight the sudden urge to throw herself down at the woman's feet and express her absolute gratitude. Regina was like a mother to her, more so than her own, yet at the same time, not a mother at all. It was so much more than any one word could describe. Regina, she realized, was without a doubt, her Queen, and she didn't think there was anything she wouldn't do in order to please the woman.


	20. Part 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Sorry this took me so long to get posted, I won't bore you with my list of excuses, but I hope it was worth the wait. I can't wait to see what you think of it. As always, I look forward to your thoughts! Thank you for reading, you guys are just the best! I love you all!
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"Emma... My Swan," Regina began affectionately, every ounce of her beaming with praise for the blonde. So very pleased, she held her girl out gently. The brunette was practically overwhelmed with pride. It was for herself, what she had accomplished in such little time, but it wasn't just that, and Regina didn't even bother denying this to herself. She was proud of Emma.  
"Come sit with me." The woman pulled the girl by her hand towards the chaise. The statement wasn't a question, but Emma was more than happy to oblige.

"Did I... I mean I wasn't sure..if I was alright...or..." The girl stammered, biting her lip self consciously. Emma still felt giddy, the combination of magic and power coursing through her veins. She had no room in her mind for doubting the rights and the wrongs of the evening. Her mind was only able to entertain thoughts about Regina; how grateful she was of the woman, and how much she craved her Queen's approval.

"You were magnificent." The older woman said firmly, it wasn't an opinion it was fact, it was law. Regina smiled, feeling a warmth spread between her legs, as she watched Emma blush, a sweet smile sweeping her lips. Her Swan was always so eager to please. Regina found it quite, unexpectedly, endearing; the way Emma continued to glance over, seeking her approval. "I wish you could have seen yourself. I've never been so proud, Emma." The brunette praised sincerely, pulling the girl against her, she gently pressed her lips to Emma's, giving an almost innocent kiss.

"I was nervous, at first." Emma admitted, tilting her head shyly.

"You were perfect." The brunette kissed up Emma's jawline. As the older woman moved, she took the girl's earlobe between her lips, sucking and then scraping her teeth over the sensitive skin. Regina took a moment to enjoy the sweet little moans and gasps she received from her Swan. "I'm so proud of you Em-ma." She cooed in the girl's ear, watching goosebumps rise on her creamy skin. 

It didn't take but a moment for Emma to wrap her arms around the older woman, unable to get enough of her. As Regina broke the kiss, pulling away, the girl made a dissatisfied sigh. She needed more of the woman, it was a maddening craving. Emma could almost feel the electricity in the air between them, and she just wanted Regina, all of her.

"Oh, no need to be disappointed, dear." Regina smiled, pleased with the girl's behavior, despite her words. "I have every intention of rewarding you." The older woman wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. "You're practically glowing, Emma. But how do you feel?" Regina asked.

"I...I've never felt so..." Emma cocked her head, searching for the right word.

"Good?" Regina asked, arching her perfect brow, taking Emma's hands into her own. The older woman didn't realize until now, just how nervous she was. She waited with baited breath, hoping that her Swan had enjoyed that as much as she had thought the girl would.

"Yes," the blonde confirmed breathlessly, nodding her head. She stared in awe at the Queen in front of her. Regina smiled, that brilliant smile. It made Emma's insides twitch in the most pleasurable of ways. It wasn't merely sexual, although that was part of it, but it was so much more. Regina was pleased with her, even better, the brunette was proud of her. 

Regina brought the girl's hands to her lips, placing a soft kiss, then releasing them to run her own fingers through Emma's hair. "I'm so glad. That's all I want, Emma. I want you to feel good." Regina began to toy with the ties in the front of the girl's dress, placing soft kisses on Emma's neck and jaw line.

"N-no...Regina, wait." The blonde forced herself to lean back, away from the brunette. It wasn't that the older woman's affections weren't appreciated, but Emma wanted to do something for the woman that had already done so much for her. She needed to, out of devotion and gratitude, but also something else. She had never imagined that Regina had any problems finding someone to warm her bed, but Emma had the urge to impress Regina. She hated thinking about how much more experienced those that came before her may have had. "Regina..." The blonde panted urgently, "I....I want to do something... for you."

"Oh, do you, dear?" The older woman raised her brows suggestively. "What would that be?"

"I...ugh..." Emma shifted self consciously, she hadn't planned on explaining the details of her craving. "I want...to show you my gratitude." The girl bit her lip, sliding off the chaise, she tucked her legs beneath her. Placing her hands on the top of the woman's knees, she looked up pleadingly.

Regina felt her breath catch, looking down at the beautiful creature before her. Her Swan, so very eager to please, her eyes so full of devotion. "Who am I to stand in the way of a princess expressing gratitude to her Queen."

"You are my Queen." Emma responded without hesitation. It was said with such reverence, such absolute sincerity. Maybe Emma was supposed to be her parents' Savior, but the girl thought, perhaps Regina was hers.

The older woman leaned down, curling a finger under the girl's chin, she placed a soft, almost innocent kiss against the blonde's lips. "I want you to remove these clothes, Em-ma." The Queen drawled, a savage smile crossing her face as she leaned back against the chaise.

The girl smiled softly, pushing off Regina's knees as she stood. Tonight, she told herself, she wasn't going to be shy. She couldn't. Slowly, Emma began to untie the front of her dress, gently pulling each string loose, her eyes never moving from Regina's. All Emma could focus on was a clawing need for the woman; a need to have her, a need to please her and a need to impress her. Emma realized she couldn't do anything about those before her. People that warmed the Queen's bed in the past, probably much more experienced than herself, she couldn't undo that. But maybe, if she tried hard enough, she could make Regina forget about them. 

Emma carefully pulled her arms out of the dress, allowing the garment to slip down her body, collecting in a pile at her feet. Eyes still locked with the Queen, having Regina's undivided attention sent a shiver of pleasure down the girl's body. Emma continued the task of disrobing, pulling her slip slowly up her body.

Regina made a strangled noise, covering it up with a cough. "A Queen doesn't like to be kept waiting, dear." She teased, resting back in her seat and smiling appreciatively, as the girl dropped her slip to the floor.

"Regina...?" Emma asked softly, folding her arms over her chest, despite her earlier resolve.

"What's wrong, Emma?" The older woman wrinkled her brow, unhappy such a pleasurable show was interrupted, but also genuinely concerned for her girl.

"Nothings wrong," Emma swallowed, slowly bringing her hands to her side, expo. "It's just...your gown?" The girl raised her brows, hoping Regina knew what she was getting at.

"Oh," the older woman smiled brilliantly, snapping her fingers. "Better?" She smirked, leaning back against the chaise, clad in a loosely closed red silk robe. The robe barely covered the woman's smooth olive skin, opened enough at the top to allow the tantalizing sight of the woman's cleavage. Regina parted her brown legs slightly.

"Better." Emma whispered, licking her suddenly parched lips. The girl removed the last of her undergarments, taking a step towards the woman, then tucking her legs to kneel at her Queen's feet. Emma straightened herself, leaning up to the woman's face, she felt her naked breast rub over the silky fabric of Regina's robe. Then the woman's hands were on either side of her face, gently steadying her, as the older woman pushed past her lips and began to explore her mouth.

As the kiss continued; tongue sliding against tongue, pretty teeth against pretty teeth, Emma felt the woman's hands leave her face, roaming down her body. One hand stopped at her breast, cupping the tender flesh, then finding her nipple, rolling the nub between thumb and forefinger. Of all the magic Regina had wielded, this had quickly become her favorite; seeing, hearing, feeling the ways her Swan so eagerly responded to her. 

Emma let out a little moan, arching her back. The Queen hummed what could only be taken as approval, into the blonde's mouth. Emma finally broke the kiss, trying to remain focused on what she set out to do. She let her mouth travel down the brunette's neck, tenderly, careful not to mar the perfect olive skin, she placed hot kisses onto warm flesh. 

For her part, Regina remained patient, indulging the blonde in whatever it was the girl had planned. The brunette was rather curious to find out how her Swan would choose to show her gratitude. Regina honestly didn't find the display necessary, but she was curios, and having Emma kneeling so deliciously at her feet wasn't something she was willing to pass up.

Emma felt her heart pounding in her ears, and her hand shook slightly as she brought it to the woman's full breast. She paid special attention to keep her affections gentle. The girl told herself she wouldn't make another mistake. Emma had quickly learned that while Regina's affections could be on the rougher side, even bordering on painful, the woman did not appreciate that reciprocated.

Regina let her eyes close and her head fell back against the chaise. An encouraging moan escaped her lips as she felt the girl's mouth close around breast. For a second, she thought she may have to warn the blonde, remind her who was in control. But Emma was a fast learner, and it was clear her Queen's pleasure was at the forefront of her mind. The girl's touch remained soft, and tender, and falling past respectful, just short of utter worship. 

Emma tentatively moved down the woman's body, leaving kisses in her wake. She let the hand resting on the woman's knee, slowly, softly begin to slide up the woman's leg, running her fingers against the brunette's inner thigh. Taking a moment, kneeling between the Queen's legs, Emma carefully pushed them apart, exposing the dark patch of the brunette's sex. Taking a ragged little breath, feeling her heart jump in her chest, Emma curved her knuckles as she softly caressed the woman's mound. She heard the Queen let out a sigh, encouraging her to go on. 

As the girl brought her lips to the woman's inner thigh, feeling the hot skin against her mouth, she felt Regina's hand rest on the top of her head. As Emma moved up the shapely thigh, she felt the brunette running gentle fingers through her hair. Nearing the woman's sex, the girl carefully parted the moist folds, already glistening with excitement.

Anxiously, Emma tried to steady herself. She hoped what she was about to do would be met with approval. Either way, she was sure Regina would let her know soon enough.

Regina arched her body, letting out an appreciative moan, as she felt the girls pretty little mouth connect with her sex. The brunette was surprised Emma had thought of this on her own, but then again, her Swan always seemed full of surprises. Full of surprises, and always so willing to please.

Emma couldn't help the little moan she let out against the older woman's folds. She had hoped the Queen would enjoy this, and she had wanted to impress the woman, doing something she hadn't been taught by the brunette, but Emma hadn't anticipated that she would enjoy it so much, herself. Feeling Regina push against her mouth, the hand in her hair grasping tighter, the girl took this as a sign to continue. 

Emma let her mouth explore the woman, thoroughly enjoying the drenched folds, and the way Regina moved under her mouth. Wrapping one hand around the brunette for support, she used her other hand, thrusting two fingers into the woman, while closing her mouth around Regina's swollen clit. The older woman bucked, pushing against the girl's mouth, Emma felt the woman's sex tighten around her fingers.

"Oh...Emma!" Regina moaned, tossing her head back, her free hand joining the other, gripping blonde curls. 

Encouraged by the praise, Emma continued. She picked up the pace, trying to keep up with the woman's movements. She pushed her fingers in and out of the Queen circling her tongue around the receptive nub. Emma loved feeling the woman shake and twitch, moaning and calling out her name. She loved pleasing her Queen, but it was more than that. She felt powerful in the knowledge that she could bring such passion out of the woman. 

The blonde could feel Regina was getting close to climaxing, but she was enjoying herself too much to let this end so soon. Besides, Regina seemed to enjoy drawing the process out on her, teasing her, bringing her just to the edge, then backing down. Not that Emma minded, quite the opposite, but she figured turn about was fair play. She continued moving her fingers in and out of the brunette, but began to slow her rhythm around the woman's clit. Slowly dragging her tongue around and across the sensitive flesh, she felt Regina push harder, trying to gain more contact, trying to reach her climax.

Emma couldn't help the smile that crept onto her face, and she was glad Regina couldn't see it. She was sure the woman would perceive it as smugness. Maybe it was, Emma did feel rather delighted with herself. The girl used her tongue to tease the woman's clit, tortuously lapping at the nub with the tip of her tongue, careful not to apply too much pressure.

Despite herself, Regina whimpered, unable to take the denial of gratification. She wondered what had gotten into her girl. "Emma," she growled irritated, but also enjoying the chance to reprimand her Swan, remind her who was in charge. Roughly tugging the blonde by her hair, Regina forced the girl where she wanted her.

Emma quickly got the picture. Regina did not want to be kept waiting, and despite how much the girl may have enjoyed it, she reminded herself that this was for the Queen, not herself. Picking up speed, flicking her tongue over the woman's clit, using the sighs and moans to guide her, she gently sucked the throbbing flesh into her mouth. Mindful not to nip the brunette, she alternated between sucking and flicking the swollen nub, thrusting her fingers in harder, deeper. Wincing when she felt the woman's heels grind into her side, but she didn't stop or let up. Regina pulled on her hair so roughly, she thought she might cry out, instead she quickened her pace.

"Emma...Oh, yes! Yes! Don't stop!" It was somewhere between begging and demanding. Regina pulled on the blonde strands tangled in her hands, arching and pushing against the girl. Emma somehow kept up with the woman, applying more pressure, more speed, unsure how much longer she could last at this pace. To the blonde's relief, the older woman's body went rigid, letting out a cry, her body heaving. 

Regina arched further as waves of pleasure washed over her body. Emma felt the woman's legs tighten, her breathing heavy and erratic as she cried out. The blonde continued between the woman's legs, trying to savor every moment. As Regina tried to steady her breath, her body softened, falling back against the lounger. Emma was relieved to feel the brunette gentle her hold on her hair, but there was some disappointment at being guided away from the woman's center.

Regina smoothed her hands over her Swans locks, feeling the girl rest her head against her thigh. The Queen wanted to praise her girl, but the woman needed a moments rest to recover. Emma wasn't the most experienced lover the Queen had been with, but she was certainly the most enthusiastic. Everything the girl did, she did with absolute devotion, she did it with her whole heart.

Emma looked up at the woman, head still resting against her thigh. Regina had her head back, eyes closed, a small smile on her lips. Not for the first time, Emma marveled at the woman above her. Feeling warmly content, the girl closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of Regina's now tender strokes through her hair.

"Em-ma," the brunette rasped after a few minutes of silence. The girl raised her head meeting the older woman's dark eyes. "Come here. Come sit with me." Regina patted the spot beside her, holding the girl's arm to steady her.

Emma slid up the woman's body, settling beside her on the chaise. Suddenly feeling rather self conscious, she went to cross her arms, when the brunette reached out, pulling her girl to her. "You're so full of surprises, dear." Regina drawled, running her hand against the girl's cheek.

"Was that alright... I mean...was that weird?" 

Regina chuckled, "No, dear. It wasn't weird. It was much more than alright." The brunette cupped the girl's face, pressing her lips to the blonde's. Regina hummed, tasting herself on her Swan's mouth. The Queen let her hand travel down Emma's body, caressing her breast, she loved feeling the girl's body react under her touch. Regina felt the pert nipple harden in her palm, a small whimper against her lips. "Are you wet for me, Em-ma?" She asked, her voice raspy.

To the older woman's constant delight, the blonde blushed, looking down. "Y-yes." Emma stammered, her face feeling hot.

"Mmmm. Let's see." Regina whispered, leaning over the girl, gently pushing her to lean back against the side of the chaise. Almost too slowly, she ran her hand along Emma's leg, lightly dipping in between her thighs, finding her hot center. 

Emma was so receptive to the woman, her body reacted without thought, raising herself to meet the brunette's hand. Feeling delicate fingers gliding across her silky folds, Emma let out a moan. All she could focus on, was the intense need for the older woman.

"Oh you are such a good girl." Regina cooed. Smiling smugly at the way her Swan reacted to her words alone; twisting and whimpering beneath her. "What should I do with such a pretty little thing?" The woman teased, running her thumb down the girl's clit, enjoying the way Emma's body jerked, and the pleading little sounds her girl made.

"Please, Regina..?" Emma whined.

"What's that, dear? What do you want?" The Queen pushed the girl's legs, bending them at the knee and forcing them a part. The position gave the older woman a perfect view of the girl's need.

"Y-you...I want you," Emma thrust herself against the woman's hand, but it was moved away before she could make contact.

"Oh, I think you already had me, dear. You shouldn't be so greedy." The dark haired woman teased, rolling one of the girl's nipples between her thumb and index finger. 

Emma whined, arching her back into the woman's touch. "Please, Regina...whatever you want. Just..." The girl made a strangled whining sound. "Please..?"

"Indeed, I will do what I want." The Queen moved to the other breast, not wanting to leave any part of the girl neglected, while running her free hand back to Emma's mound. Regina tenderly ran her finger against the girl's folds, teasing at her entrance, she slipped one finger inside. "There's just so much that I want to do with you, my Swan. It makes it awfully difficult to decide." The older woman teased, watching the blonde's breathing increase, becoming more erratic. Regina inserted a second finger inside her girl, watching Emma's brows furrow, as the girl whimpered. "You know, Emma...you're still technically a virgin." The Queen pulled her fingers out, then gently pushed them back in, just until she met resistance. The girl was so tight, she knew it was at least mildly uncomfortable, but the woman still felt Emma close around her fingers. "And, you're going to stay that way-"

"You can-"

"Don't interrupt," Regina scolded, slapping the palm of her hand on the girl's mound. Emma whimpered, but remained quiet. "Good girl," the brunette praised after a few moments. "As I was saying," Regina continued to move her fingers in and out of the blonde, occasionally running her thumb over the girl's sensitive nub. "You'll remain that way, until you beg me to fuck you, dear." 

Emma's eyes flew open. She had never heard the Queen speak so crassly before, it was shocking. But as shocking as it was to hear, now that the thought was in her mind, she found herself curious about the matter. Intrigued, maybe even excited, and definitely turned on. "You want-"

"Oh yes, I do want that, my Swan." The woman purred. "But I want you to think about it." She circled the girl's clit, making her moan. "Really think about it, and what it means." She kept her rhythm, slowly moving in and out of the girl. "And once you've thought about it, long and hard, if you still want to give yourself to me, so entirely," Regina paused, taking a moment to torment her girl. "Then I want you to ask me. But not until you've really thought about it. Understood?" 

Emma nodded her head frantically. "I...I understand." She chocked, feeling oddly disappointed and relieved at the same time. 

"That's my good girl." Regina cooed, moving off the chaise. She wasn't kneeling, because Queens don't kneel. She was rewarding her Swan. 

Before Emma knew what was happening, the brunettes lips wrapped around her most sensitive area, teeth scraping just slightly at the base of her nub. The girl couldn't help the way her body began to thrust. She tried to sit up, crying out, but Regina used her free hand to gently push her back against the chaise. 

When Emma was settled, Regina began again. Opening up the girl's folds, she ran her tongue up and down Emma's slit, feeling the girl quake, her legs shaking. Her Swan was whimpering and moaning and deliciously at her mercy. Regina sucked on the swollen nub again, making her Swan buck and twist, panting wildly. She knew it wouldn't take the girl long, a part of her wanted to drag it out, really make the blonde beg, but she really had been so well behaved, her perfect little Swan. Regina didn't think she deserved too much torment. 

"Please, Regina..I'm so close...please... Please?" Emma begged, digging her fingers into the fabric of the lounger.

No, her Swan was too good to be kept waiting, the woman thought. "I want you to come for me, Emma." The Queen consented, wrapping her lips around the sensitive flesh, using the hard tip of her tongue over the area, pushing her digits carefully in and out of the blonde. 

Within moments, Emma was crying out, thrashing wildly. Regina used her free hand to caress up and down the girl's body, trying to calm her as pleasure wracked the girl's body.

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Regina laid against the headboard of her bed, Emma curled around her, the girl's head in her lap, a mop of blonde curls spilling every which way. The brunette sipped on a glass of port, setting about gently untangling the strands with her fingers. "How is it, that you're always able to surprise me in the most pleasant ways, Emma?"

The girl shrugged, letting out a little laugh. She tried to think of something to say, but nothing clever came to mind, that was Regina's area of expertise. "I...I don't know." She finally mumbled, feeling lame.

"You didn't owe me your 'gratitude', as you seem to believe." The older woman stated sincerely. Perhaps Regina did believe some gratitude was in store, but she didn't want her Swan performing in her bedchamber out of obligation. "Not that I didn't enjoy it," the brunette added, smiling at the girl. 

"I did want you to know how....how grateful I am for....everything," Emma paused, choosing her words. "But, it wasn't just that, if I'm being honest," she turned her head up to the brunette, studying her expression.

"Oh?" Regina arched her brow, curious about what other surprises her girl had hidden. "Would you care to elaborate?"

"Oh... Well, I... was thinking... I mean, everything I...know how to do..." Emma felt herself blushing while trying to explain herself. "I'm not experienced." She finally blurted, her face hot. 

"Oh, Emma, don't ever worry about that." The older woman reassured, smiling at how sweet her Swan was.

"But.... I'm sure your... your pets," Emma wrinkled her nose, her voice biting. "I'm sure a lot of them were more experienced than me....you probably didn't have to teach them anything, and-"

Regina turned the girl's face towards her, leaning down and silencing her Swan with a soft kiss. "You can't even compare yourself to them, dear. Don't you realize how special you are, Emma?" Regina asked, hovering just above her Swan.

"I know that you think I'm special. I guess I believe that."

"You're perfect Emma, and I really am so proud of you." Regina caressed the girl's face, giving her a warm smile. "So, no more worrying about the past. Agreed?"

Emma nodded, but remained silent, which must have been a good enough response for the older woman. Regina continued running her fingers through the blonde hair, as both settled into comfortable silence.

Of course Emma's mind was still turning, despite her quiet facade. She thought about what Regina had told her earlier, about giving herself to the woman. It gave her an odd feeling; she wanted to think about it, and she didn't. It made her nervous, and her throat dry, but at the same time, she could feel her heart thumping with anticipation and that slight throbbing between her legs. "Does it hurt?" Emma asked abruptly.

"Does what hurt?" Regina wrinkled her forehead.

"Umm.. What we talked about earlier...if I... If I ask you to.." The girl stopped, not sure if she could make herself say the words. "Losing my virtue-"

Regina couldn't help but laugh, "your virtue? That sounds like something your mother would say."

"Blue." Emma corrected, her face red.

"Ah, of course." The brunette nodded thoughtfully. "Well, it can hurt. At first it may be uncomfortable, or even painful, but after that it can feel quite pleasurable." Regina continued petting the girl's hair. "I'm not going to hurt you, my Swan." The woman said so softly, Emma wondered if she was even meant to hear it. 

"Did your first time hurt?" The girl asked. She thought it was a simple enough question, and the woman had told her she was to think about it, and what it meant. Emma wasn't really sure what it meant to the brunette, but she hoped to find out. Unfortunetly, the Princess quickly realized this wasn't something Regina wanted to discuss. She felt the woman's soft body go tense, and by the lack of response, she knew she was entering dangerous terrain.

The older woman cleared her throat, trying to clear her mind. "Yes, it did, Emma." She answered tersely, telling herself she didn't have to answer the blonde's questions, and at the same time, telling herself not to be upset with her girl. 

Emma's throat felt dry, and she suddenly felt rather angry. She knew better than to ask, but she also couldn't stop herself in time. "Were you a virgin when you got married?"

"Do you think the King would have married me if I wasn't?" Regina spat, only responding because the question infuriated her so deeply.

Emma now had more questions than before. She had assumed Regina's first time was with her true love, she couldn't believe life was so cruel it wouldn't even give the woman that. Regina was so fearless and so powerful, she had a hard time imagining anyone hurting the brunette. Emma felt her stomach twist, she didn't want to think about that. 

"I don't want you to ever be hurt, Regina." Emma said softly, trying to push away the questions dominating her thoughts. Her mother had always described the King as the most gentle man, that he had been a wonderful husband to Regina. There was so much more she wanted to ask, wanted to know. But she knew she wasn't going to accomplish anything other than upsetting the brunette tonight. 

"No one hurts me anymore, Emma. And no one is going to hurt you either." Regina's body softened, and she went back to playing with the girl's hair. Her Swan really was so perfect, she wasn't going to let her temper, and the mention of unpleasant memories get the best of her. She wasn't going to destroy this for herself.

The blonde and brunette fell back into a comfortable silence. As Regina completed removing the tangles from the girl's hair, she rested her hand on Emma's head, reaching for her port with the other. A million thoughts swarmed through the Emma's mind; not all of them good, but not all bad either. It was now, sated, with the highs of magic and power wearing off, that she thought about the evening with a bit more clarity. 

"Am I evil now?" She asked after a while, looking up at Regina with wide eyes.

The brunette had just taken a sip from her glass, choking on the liquid as she tried not to laugh. "What a question!" She sputtered. "I can't answer that for you, dear, only you can. But I don't think standing up for yourself, or demanding that people treat you with respect makes you evil."

"Do you...do you want me to be evil?" The girl asked cautiously, not sure if she was walking on thin ice.

"If I said yes, what would you do?" Regina arched her brow, truly curious.

Emma remained quiet, looking away from the woman, wondering what in fact she would do. "I don't know," the blonde bit her lip, turning her head towards the woman. "I am... I am very grateful for everything you've done for me...and I do want to please you.." The blonde was mostly thinking out loud.

"You are such a good girl, Emma." Regina ran her hand along the girl's face. "I don't want you to be evil, if that puts your mind at ease. I just want you to be mine."

"I am yours." Emma said it simply, almost flippantly. Looking back at the bedspread, the blonde thought about what Regina said. She did believe the woman, but a part of her wondered where the line was. When did she stop being Regina's Swan, and start being evil. But it wasn't truly that black and white, not to mention, she saw the brunette in a different light. "You know, I don't think you're evil."

"I know, dear. I don't think of myself that way either, to be honest. But your parents do, and that's what you're worried about. Isn't it?" Emma remained quiet, giving no indication of how she felt on the matter. "I'm not going to be upset if you say yes," Regina added, trying to be patient with her Swan.

"I'm not sure how I feel." The blonde finally answered. It wasn't exactly what the Queen wanted to hear, but it was satisfactory enough. "I have to talk to them again soon." She said after a few minutes of silence.

"Yes, you do." Regina studied the girl's expression, wishing she could read her mind.

"I don't want to."

"I know, but it can be as long or as short as you like. They just need to see that you're alive and healthy. We don't want a war, Emma."

The girl nodded, biting her lip. "I... I sort of want to ask them something."

"What's that?" Regina asked, finding herself somewhat nervous.

"I want to know what they were going to do if you would have went through with the curse." Emma paused, she didn't know why it was suddenly so important that she know, but she had an awful nagging feeling. "Do you know?"

"I don't know. Not exactly." The brunet answered truthfully. "I suppose they didn't see the need to share their plans with me."

"But you know that they did have a plan?" Emma asked, her brows raised.

"Yes, I heard they were working with Blue, naturally." Regina rolled her eyes.

"That's why you didn't cast it."

"Yes," Regina breathed, not enjoying the subject. "I didn't use it because I heard they had found a way to make sure you would be able to break it."

"Well maybe I wouldn't have wanted to break it! I'm sure they didn't think about that!" Emma growled, pushing herself up to look at Regina. "I want to know what they had planned to do."

Regina put her hands up, palms out. "I'm not going to stop you, Emma. You can ask them whatever you want.... But," the woman paused, wrapping her arm around the girl's waist. "But I think you should be prepared for an answer you don't like, if they answer at all." The older woman cautioned, not wanting to see the girl hurt anymore than she already had been.  
Emma sighed, nodding her head and leaning against the brunette. "I know."

"The sun is almost up, Princess. Perhaps we should revisit this after at least a few hours sleep." The brunette suggested, knowing Emma would be exhausted by morning and she wasn't sure how much longer she could remain upright. 

"I don't feel like I ever need to sleep again," the blonde answered, dramatically.

"It's the magic." Regina explained, remembering her first time with dark magic, and the incredible high she got. No wonder the girl had been such a chatter box, the brunette had been using magic for so long, so often, she had forgotten how it effected someone with less tolerance to it. "You should make yourself fall asleep, otherwise you're going to be ill tomorrow." She heard Emma sigh heavily. "Have a glass of port if you can't." The woman suggested,placing a kiss on the blonde's temple before getting comfortable. "Only one though, Emma." She added, feeling the girl getting up. "I don't want you sick off magic or port tomorrow." Regina mumbled, her eyes feeling heavy.

It didn't take the Queen long to fall asleep, by the time Emma had gotten a glass of port, and come back to bed she could tell by the woman's breathing that she was fast asleep. The girl wished she could fall asleep, but her mind continued to race. It wasn't until now, left alone with her thoughts, that she began to worry. She thought about the events of the evening, using her magic on that maid; choking the old woman. What she had done was wrong. Regardless of the reason, or who she was. Regardless of what Regina thought. It was wrong, and Emma knew that. But that's not what worried the girl. Doing something wrong, in of itself wasn't that bad, people made mistakes. It was the fact that she wanted to do it again, that had the blonde so worried. Emma could feel herself becoming less and less concerned with the knowledge that what she did was wrong, and more concerned with achieving the feeling of absolute power.

The girl thought about the Queen sleeping beside her, how the woman had become so comfortable wielding the darkness. What she knew of Regina's life was really so finite, she scrambled to put the pieces together, but Emma didn't feel that she had enough to see the whole picture. She could only get glimpses, as if she was trying to look at it through a crack in a door. It was obvious that Regina had a past, a painful one at that. The woman certainly hadn't been born an evil queen, life had made her this way. That seemed to be a fact others, like her mother, chose to forget. 

Emma thought about her parents, her mother especially. Snow always seemed to feel she was justified in any decision she made. Evil Queens and daughters a like. Her mother surely wouldn't want her now, then again, Emma wasn't sure her mother ever did. More importantly, she remembered Regina's statement, she wasn't theirs anymore, she belonged to the Evil Queen now. And she was very sure that the older woman wanted her. Not to love, but Emma was learning that she didn't need love. Well, she was trying.


	21. Part 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, I'm sorry this took so long to put up, and I would like to say that I will get the next chapter up sooner, but it will most likely be within the same time frame. I hope you enjoy it, I always look forward to your thoughts and reviews! Thank you guys so much for reading, you're the best! Much Love!
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In the few days that passed the blonde and brunette began to fall into a comfortable routine with one another. Regina was happy to find her Swan to be such an enthusiastic and devoted disciple; hanging onto her every word and putting forth so much effort to gain the Queen's approval. The older woman could even admit that it was more than just that. She enjoyed Emma's company, the quietness she brought to her mind and that warm, even if slightly terrifying, feeling that settled throughout the woman's body. 

Emma was taking her magic lessons to heart, treating them seriously and excelling at almost every turn. Which was where Regina found herself utterly conflicted. She wanted the girl to learn, she was proud of her pupil, and would expect nothing less. Still, it worried the brunette. Emma's magic was strong, and every day Regina held her breath, watching how much stronger her girl was from the day before. The Queen may be a lot of things, but a delusional fool, she was not. Regina knew that it wouldn't take long before Emma was as powerful as her, maybe even stronger. And the brunette couldn't allow that. Slowly, Regina had been turning over the problem at hand, looking for a solution. There were obvious ways the woman could remedy the situation, but it was her fondness for Emma, the way her Swan looked at her, that had stopped Regina from outright overpowering the girl. She would have to bind Emma's magic enough to control it, but this problem required a bit more finesse than sheer force.

Emma had more or less made peace with what had happened to the maid. In the light of day, with Regina beside her, the blonde didn't feel quite so at odds within herself, and it was the Queen she had to answer to, not a maid and certainly not her parents. The maid was, after all, still alive and would eventually return to work. Everyone had to answer to someone, and the older woman seemed very sure of herself whenever she explained this. Emma knew that if she disobeyed Regina, she would be punished. Although her punishment was quite different from the maid's, and that did prove to be a troublesome thought. Emma wasn't sure she didn't want Regina to punish her again. She didn't want to disappoint the woman, the thought of Regina being displeased with her tied her stomach in knots. But the thought of being pulled over the Queen's lap again...well, that made Emma's body react in different ways entirely. 

Regardless, Emma hadn't been able to think on any of this for very long. Regina had been keeping her busy with magic, and riding, and being next to the woman in general seemed to make it hard to think. When Emma was actually able to sort out her thoughts she mostly thought of her parents, and the upcoming chat she had to have with them. As much as the girl dreaded it, she was anxious for it to be over and done with. She wanted to ask her questions, and ensure there wasn't going to be a war. She just wanted to be left alone with the Queen. Evil or otherwise. 

Regina could sense her girl's unease the moment they woke that morning. Emma had remained uncharacteristically quiet, and barely touched her food at breakfast, which the brunette had come to learn, was not like her Swan at all. After Emma took two bites, only to push her plate away and sit with her arms crossed, Regina decided to say something. 

"If you're going on a hunger strike, I should warn you, that method has never been known to persuade me, dear." The brunette eyed the sulky expression on the girl.

"I'm just not hungry." The blonde sighed dramatically. 

"You're nervous." The older woman corrected. She paused, then let her hand wander to Emma's thigh, giving a warm squeeze, letting it rest there. 

"Yes," the girl breathed out, holding onto the word as it left her mouth. Somehow just a touch from the woman calmed her nerves. "Shouldn't we have some sort of plan?"

"The plan is for you to show your parents that I'm not torturing you, that you're safe and healthy...and dare I say happy?" Regina arched her brow, touching her tongue to the roof of her mouth as she waited for a response.

The girl's features relaxed, she even gave the brunette a half smile. "I am happy, Regina. I'll feel better after this is done with." Emma tried to sound confident. 

"I'm glad to hear that." Regina smiled, it was her real smile and it seemed to be coming easier and easier. "It will be over soon enough."

"So...that's all? That's the plan?" The girl looked warily at the brunette.

"Well, if you still want to ask them -"

"Yes, I still want to ask them." Emma's features hardened, determined to get through the ordeal.

"Then you will."

"But..." Emma licked her lips, letting her hand fall to Regina's. "What about everything else?" The blonde leaned in closer.

"Hmm.. " The older woman looked amused "What about everything else, dear?" She wiggled her brows suggestively, her sultry voice making the girl blush. 

"Do you....do you want them to know?" Emma whispered, fairly sure she knew Regina's answer, but unsure of her own.

The Queen straightened herself, taking a breath. "Of course I do." She had found that Emma could handle a fair bit of honesty. Another pleasant surprise from her girl. And the thought of Snow knowing exactly what the Evil Queen had been doing with her no longer quite so innocent daughter, did give Regina a certain thrill she couldn't deny. "But, I don't think you do." Regina failed to mention that she had already put this thought in those idiots empty little heads.

The brunette bit on the inside of her cheek, trying to think of the best direction to steer this conversation. If she wanted to push Emma towards confessing the details of their relationship, now was the perfect time to do so. The girl was right there, so willing and pliable, no magic needed at all. But there was something holding her back, something Regina wasn't yet willing to acknowledge. Instead, the Queen chalked it up to the way she was brought up. There were very clear lines with Cora, and while her mother thought nothing of crushing the heart of a young man, advertising one's private escapades was vulgar and reserved for a lower class of people. Regina frowned, trying to wipe away the thoughts of her own mother. "Nonetheless, Emma, as much as it would pain your mother to know the details, and as much as I would derive a great deal of pleasure from that, I think it's something better left unsaid. I've never really been one to kiss and tell." The older woman smirked.

"Oh," Emma chewed on her lip, she supposed the Queen was right, and it was a bit of a relief. Still, the girl felt a small pang of disappointment. "What about the magic?" The blonde changed the subject.

"It's your magic, dear. Who you choose to share it with is your business, not mine." Regina studied the girl. She couldn't quite tell what was transpiring in Emma's mind, but there was clearly something going on. 

"I don't want to upset them..."

"Yes. I realize that." The brunette inhaled, trying to keep her temper down. While Regina was fond enough of the blonde, this mantra was becoming tiresome.

"But, I'm proud of my magic. I've been practicing really hard at controlling it -"

"Emma, you're progressing so well. I am really so proud of you." The older woman quickly changed directions, her temper resting as she saw where her girl was going.

Emma paused, a small smile tugged at her lips, she seemed to glow under the woman's praise. "Thank you."

"You're very welcome, my Swan." The brunette smiled, taking the girl's hand in both of her own and holding it to her chest. "But," she started, her tone more serious. "I really don't want to see them hurt you... Or disappoint you. Not anymore than they already have."

The blonde darted her eyes away, then quickly back to the brunette. Emma inhaled, sucking the air through her teeth. "I know."

The dark haired woman waited for a further response. After a few moments of silence, Regina sighed. "It's your choice if you want to tell them. I just want you to be prepared for a less than joyous response." 

"I don't expect them to be proud of me, but-" Emma paused mid sentence, shifting anxiously in her seat.

"Who do you belong to, Em-ma?" The Queen reached out, grasping the girl by her chin, her voice firm and unwavering.

Emma blinked repeatedly, caught off guard by the question. Running her tongue along her lips, "You." She breathed out, wondering why Regina felt the need to ask that question now.

"Good girl." The older woman purred. "I want you to remember that, my Swan. So you can tell your parents whatever you like, but I don't want you wasting a moment worrying about them, or what they think of you. You're mine, and I'm proud of you, Emma." It was firm and forceful, and full of ownership, but it was also soft and gentle, and unbelievably freeing.

Emma let out a sigh of relief. She felt immensely better than when she got out of bed that morning. Regina was right, she was the only person Emma needed to worry about pleasing. 

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Emma knocked on the large door of Regina's bedchamber. She had finished her bath, but instead of wearing the dress a sweet, young maid had brought to her, the girl was in her nightgown. Emma bit her bottom lip, Regina had sent the dress in, and she knew the woman wanted her to wear it. And Emma did want to please the older woman, but the outfit just didn't feel right. A week ago, the blonde wouldn't have had a second thought about it, but she wasn't the same girl she was a week ago.

"Why aren't you dressed? I sent that girl to assist you at least two hours ago!" Regina snapped as she opened the door, pulling the blonde in by her bicep. When the brunette put a plan into place, it was followed to the letter. 

"I...I want to wear something else..?" Emma had meant it as a statement, but it came out more of a request and now she thought, perhaps she should run back and put the dress on.

"What?" The brunette placed her hands on her hips. "That dress cost a small fortune. Are you trying to tell me it's not good enough for you, Princess?" Regina tapped her boot, sending a clacking off the stone floor. She certainly wasn't in the mood for ungratefulness, especially when her girl had been behaving so well.

"N-no..." Emma wrinkled her brow, she hadn't meant to insult the older woman. "I'm sorry... I... I'll just go get dressed." The blonde turned on her heel, loose hair swishing as she spun around.

"Emma...wait." Regina sighed, grabbing onto the girl's wrist to stop her. Today was a good day, the brunette reminded herself. Today she got to drive another nail into Snow's coffin. Regina felt physically lighter at this thought, and she congratulated herself for being so cunning. Yes, today was a wonderful day for the Queen, but for her Swan, for Emma, it was already proving to be difficult. That knowledge did take some of the bounce out of the Queen's step. "I never took you for a clothes horse, why the sudden change?"

"It's a beautiful dress," Emma started, carefully. "But...I want something more..." Emma searched the woman up and down. Regina looked breathtaking, gorgeous and terrifying all at once. Black velvet trim outlined dark crimson satin, pressed snugly against every curve of the woman's body. Had it not been for the high collar and exaggerated shoulders of her dress, the woman would have looked like a temptress, but it was beyond simple sex appeal. Regina looked imposing. She looked powerful. "Something like...this?" Emma asked gingerly, raising her eyebrows as she waited for the Queen's response.

Regina took a step back, her lips puckered, brows raised. The woman wasn't sure if she was amused or shocked, or equal parts of both. And she certainly wasn't sure how she felt about her Swan dressing in such a manner. "You want to wear something of mine?" Regina wondered for a moment if she had been wrong to allow the girl to punish the maid. She was fairly sure that had Beatrice been the maid she sent in, her Swan would be wearing the dress she had planned for her to wear.

"Um...not exactly... It's.... I just want something more...more....me?" Emma bit on her lip feeling rather childish, it was just a dress, she shouldn't be making such a big deal out of it.

Regina wrinkled her brow, studying the blonde. She thought about the girl that had first come to her, cuffed and kneeling, and so very broken. The brunette remembered how she had made a plan that day to make this little blonde her very own, to put her back together and build the girl up in her own likeness. Wasn't this a sign that she was succeeding? A smile stretched across the woman's face, and Emma sighed in relief, realizing that she had been holding her breath all this time. 

"And what, pray tell, would be more you, dear?" Regina arched her brow, clearly amused with the topic. "I don't know how I would feel if you were to wear something quite so...revealing. You're not even 18 yet, Emma." Regina paused, thinking about her words. No, she certainly wouldn't allow Emma to wear something that dipped so low, or fit quite so tightly, at least not where others could lay eyes on her. "Although I'm sure it would certainly send your mother into a nervous breakdown." Maybe she should let the girl play dress up.

Emma frowned. "I'm not doing it for them." She crossed her arms defiantly, then uncrossed them, feeling very much like a child. "I don't want to wear.... I don't want something revealing....I just...this," the girl pointed to the brunette. "This is you. I want something that's me." Her eyes creased at the side, as if in concentration. Emma wasn't really sure what she wanted exactly, she just knew what she didn't want. 

Her Swan had been so obedient over the past few days, and while this was a good day for Regina, it was a very troubling day for the girl. Regina had her revenge today. Well, each and everyday since the blonde had arrived, but today she got to rub it in that idiotic woman's face. "Well, go on then, try it." The Queen allowed. "Conjure something for yourself. You can do it." Regina encouraged, pushing the blonde back a step, giving her room to materialize an outfit.

"You haven't taught-"

"Emma, after how quickly you've been advancing, don't start doubting yourself now." The older woman tucked a hair behind the blonde's ear. "Don't let them do that to you." She added.

Emma half smiled, trying to appear confident. She knew the woman was right; it was the meeting looming over her that was causing so much insecurity. The blonde still wasn't entirely sure what she wanted, but she closed her eyes and tried to picture something that felt right. For some reason, Emma's mind drifted to the night in the woods with the Queen. Regina had worn riding pants, tight and black and so very striking. Maybe a tunic with a long riding jacket? Emma tried to focus, concentrate, make something materialize, but she couldn't feel anything except a soft hum.

"Well, that is... Quite interesting." Regina tilted her head, trying to decide what she thought of the girl's choice as the blue cloud of magic swirled and settled.

Emma's eyes flew open when she heard the husky voice. Running her hands down her body, the girl blushed. She hadn't realized that it had worked, she did it. But what had she done exactly? Emma spun around to look in a mirror.  
"It's... different. Unique." Regina commented from behind. The older woman wouldn't have picked it out, but somehow her Emma made it work. "I think it's rather becoming." The brunette added, noticing how it reminded her of one of her own outfits. Parts of it at least. 

Emma looked herself over in the mirror, she was never one to spend a lot of time dwelling on her appearance, but she was rather pleasantly surprised by what she saw. It wasn't as dark nor as revealing as what Regina would wear, but it wasn't as innocent or childish as her usual garb. 

 

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Regina pulled the girl onto the large thrown, her Swan partially in her lap. She wrapped an arm around Emma's waist, holding her tightly. The blonde leaned in, it had become second nature to her. Emma wasn't sure if the brunette held her protectively, or possessively, and she wasn't really sure where the difference was, or if it even mattered.

"You look quite stunning, my Swan." Regina pulled the blonde from her worried thoughts, pressing a kiss to her lips. The woman took a moment to enjoy the reflection in the mirror. Her Swan did look breathtaking; the tight leather pants, laced boots running up her long legs, her flowing white blouse cinched tight at the waist by the long navy riding jacket adorned with gold stitching around the lapel and cuffs. No, it wasn't what Regina had picked out, but she was glad to see her girl coming into herself, blossoming under her care and guidance. 

"I'm so ready for this to be over with." Emma bit her lip, barely hearing the brunette's compliment, feeling suddenly anxious. She let her arm wrap around the woman, there really wasn't any space left between them, but Emma still didn't feel close enough.

"We'll get started whenever you're ready, Emma." The Queen reassured, running her free hand through the girl's hair, she felt Emma lean her head closer. Regina had been looking forward to this, but she tried to be patient, knowing how stressful this was for her girl. "Then we can do whatever you want for the rest of the day. Does that sound good, Princess?" The brunette gave the girl a wide smile.

Emma swallowed, giving the Queen a small smile of her own. It wasn't exactly genuine, but it wasn't forced either. "I think," the girl closed her eyes a moment, taking a deep breath. "I think I'm ready." She finally nodded, determined to get through this unscathed.

"That's my good girl." Came Regina's husky whisper, tickling Emma's skin and giving her goosebumps. The older woman smiled to herself as the blonde squirmed closer, knowing just how those words had come to effect her Swan. The brunette waved her hand unceremoniously over the solid glass, making it waiver and swirl. Regina felt the blonde hold her breath, her body tensing, as they waited for the image to come into focus. The older woman already had her arm wrapped tightly around the girl, but she gave Emma a little squeeze, trying to reassure her.

Emma recognized the outline of her parents before the fogginess of the magic cleared. 

"Emma!" Snow shrieked, making out the outline of her daughter. Regina bit the inside of her cheek, quelling her anger when she felt Emma flinch.

"Snow, dear, how lovely to see you." Regina purred, surprising Emma by speaking up first. The blonde thought she would be doing most of the talking, but she was relieved when Regina stepped in, while she searched for her voice. 

Charming spoke up, walking closer to the mirror. "Honey, we love you, and we're going to get you-"

"Get your hands off of her!" Snow spat, interrupting her husband. Before Regina could respond she felt Emma grab onto her hand, desperately.

The Queen looked away from Snow, her fingers running softly through the girl's curly locks. "Don't worry, my Swan." Regina spoke loud enough for the idiots to hear. "I wasn't going to listen to her." She placed a kiss on the side of Emma's temple. The brunette thought she had made so much progress building her girl up, but it felt like day one in the presence of the Charmings. Not that she minded Snow seeing her precious little girl wrapped, so affectionately around the 'Evil Queen'. This was still Regina's revenge regardless of the details, but she wanted her Swan to feel confident in front of these fools. "Don't forget who you belong to, Em-ma." Regina whispered softly in the girl's ear so only Emma could hear her.

Somehow, this quieted Emma's unrest. She was Regina's, her Swan, and she wasn't at the mercy of her parents. Not anymore. "You wanted to see me." Emma straitened, as she spoke, still holding onto the brunette. Feeling some courage, she continued. "You wanted to make sure I was... What? Alive? Not being tortured or starved? Well..." Emma waved her free hand in front of her body. "As you can see I'm-"

"What are you wearing?" Snow's face contorted in distaste. There were so many catastrophes in front of her, she was only now focusing on her daughter's outfit. 

"I..I think it's....original." James commented quickly, he always was less judgmental towards his daughter. He didn't think criticizing was the best strategy right now.

Emma sighed, "You wanted to see me, so here I am. I'm already enjoying this less than I thought I would, so what else is it you want?" Even the she was surprised by the coolness in her voice. Surprised, but honestly, rather pleased. It sounded like something Regina might say. At that thought, she looked over at the woman, hoping the brunette was impressed. The look the older woman gave her did not disappoint. Regina's eyes glowed warmly, proudly, a small smile tugged at the corner of her thick lips. Emma could almost hear the woman's silent praise, sending a warm spike of pleasure through her body. 

The look exchanged between the blonde and brunette was not lost on Emma's parents, particularly her mother. Snow felt nauseous, it was plain as day what had transpired between her daughter and her former step mother. Regina had alluded to corrupting Emma, but Snow had held onto hope. This was, however, far worse than the woman had imagined, and she wasn't able to deny it away.

"Regina!" Snow yelled. "How could you? How. Could. You." The younger brunette growled. "She's a child! I thought that was beneath even you!"

Regina laughed as if Snow had something hilarious. "I assure you, she is not a child, my dear."

"I'm not a child!" Emma pushed herself from the thrown she was sharing with Regina. "I'm nearly as old as Regina was when she became queen-"

"She's not a queen, Emma. She's a witch." The girl's mother spat. She didn't want to remember Regina then. And she certainly didn't want to think of Regina as an innocent girl, the way she saw her daughter. 

"She is a Queen!" Emma growled, feeling suddenly very defensive of the older woman. It had occurred to her before, that perhaps Regina wasn't a queen anymore, but it was clearly something the older woman held onto. Emma knew the woman had sacrificed more than she yet knew for it, and this wasn't the time to debate titles. The girl's outburst surprised the group. Regina thought she should pinch herself, this must be a dream because things never went her way, not this easily, and people certainly didn't stand up for her. 

Snow, melodramatic as ever, threw herself into her husband's arms, looking as if she might faint. " No. I can't believe this. I won't!" Snow stomped her foot, her hands in fists. "Emma, how can you defend her after all she's done? She killed my father-"

"It was your fault that she had to marry him!" Emma accused. Regina was so secretive about her past, it was the only defense the blonde could come up with.

"Honey, we want you to come home. It's not good for you to be there." James tried to remain calm, while his wife was visibly falling a part. "She's already turning you against us-"

"I.." Emma meant to tell her parents that she wasn't against them, but the words caught in her throat. She wondered if Regina was going to tell her parents that she wasn't allowed to leave the castle grounds. Emma looked at the brunette, who gave no indication of such.

"I think Emma wanted to ask a question. Didn't you, my Princess?" Regina purred, flashing her teeth in a feral smile when she heard Snow emit a weak mewling sound. She was so proud of her Swan, it took every restraint not to take the girl right then and there. Had she not been so fond of Emma she would have, but the girl was hers, and she wasn't about to damage what belonged to her. 

Emma looked back at the brunette, who gave a nod of encouragement, and that was all the blonde needed. "I'm not against you..." She stated a bit firmer. "But I am upset.... You...you have this idea of who I should be...and...and it seems more important than who I actually am. I've been learning..." She paused, wondering if she should even bother. "I've been learning to control my magic... Regina's been-"

"She's trying to make you dark and evil like her!" Snow accused.

"Why can't you be proud of me? It's not something to be ashamed of... You made me hate myself for having magic! You had me tortured because of it!" Emma's voice was becoming more strained and more high pitched as she continued. Regina noticed the girl's hands were wrapped into tight fists at her side, but there was a small blue light shining through the space between her fingers. 

"It's alright now, dear." The brunette spoke smoothly, not wanting to alarm the blonde or bring more tension onto the girl. But she also didn't want Emma to have a magical fit in front of her parents. It didn't really matter to Regina, but she knew it would devastate her Swan.

Before Emma knew it, the older woman was at her side, wrapping an arm around her. The girl sighed. "I guess I was being foolish to think you might be proud of me." Her voice started out thick, but she quickly shook away the tears threatening to fall. "I want to know what would have happened if...if Regina cast the curse.."

"She would have sent us all to a horrible land. A terrible place full of pain and despair, a place without happy endings, Emma. She would have destroyed everyone's happiness." Snow's eyes burned brightly. "Don't you see? Emma, don't you see how evil she is?"

"What about you?"

"Me?" Snow looked insulted, clutching her chest. "What about me?"

"What about you and Blue?" Emma noticed the way her father looked down, catching on quicker than his wife did. 

"What are you talking about?" Snow snapped.

"We were going to put you somewhere safe." James volunteered, holding onto his wife. 

"What do you mean?" Emma wrinkled her brow, frustrated that she couldn't get a direct answer. 

"You would have been safe, and you would have been able to break the curse." Snow finally joined in. "That's all we've ever wanted, Emma."

"For me to be the Savior." The girl rolled her eyes, feeling her temper begin to sky rocket. She would never be more to them than that. 

"We wanted to make sure that you became who you are supposed to be." Snow practically whined, irritated her daughter couldn't understand.

"You have never cared about me, just who you think I should be." Emma yelled, forgetting for a moment the question at hand. Her parents spoke so elusively, she knew as little about their plans as when they started this conversation. "Where were you going to... To put me?"

"Blue told us it would be safe. That you would make it to the other world alive."

"You don't even know, do you?" It was said softly, just above a whisper. Emma felt as if her head was spinning. "You had no idea where you were going to send me, but you still would have done it." The blonde was speaking mostly to herself.

"Emma, Blue promised you would be safe, and one day you would find us and break the curse for everyone-"

"You were going to send me to an unknown world, that for all you know is...is a horrible place... You were going to send me there alone? I...I was a baby...how..." Emma felt as if she might burst into tears. She wanted to run out of the room, she could feel the magic swirling inside of her, ready to take over. 

"You're our Savior." Snow said simply, as if this explained everything.

"No." Emma's head snapped towards her mother. "I'm not the Savior, and I'm certainly not yours-"

"You're our daughter, Emma. We want what's best for you." James spoke up, remaining the more rational of the two. 

"You have no idea what that witch is capable of," Snow shot a glance towards Regina, her brow furrowed and lips pulled tightly across her face. The older brunette looked wide eyed at her previous step daughter, giving her a look of mock innocence. 

"No, Snow. You have no idea what you're capable of." Emma growled, feeling a bit disconnected from her body. "You still don't....you still don't understand how badly you hurt me." 

"We are sorry Emma. We never meant to hurt you." The girl's father looked rightfully ashamed.

"No we didn't mean to hurt you." Snow agreed. "Emma, think about what you're doing... We love you, you can't possibly think that she-"

"Yes, you love me," Emma laughed sharply. Snow hit a sensitive nerve on this subject, because she was right. "And look what good that has done me." She added, because Regina was also right.

"Who is going to want to marry you after..." The girl's mother trailed off, unable to complete that thought. "We care about you Emma, and we want you to live up to your potential." Snow tried to back pedal. "That's all your father and I want, that's all Blue wants. We wanted to give you the best chance to become the person that you are supposed to be."

"You care about having a Savior, not about me." Her voice felt far away, and then an odd silence. A loud silence. It looked like everyone was yelling all at once, fingers were being pointed and their mouths were moving, but Emma couldn't hear anything except a humming nothingness. "I'm not your Savior! I'm not coming back!" The girl yelled over the pinging in her ears. "I would rather be concubine to the Evil Queen, than your Savior!"

Suddenly the room was filled with a cacophony of noise. Raised and frantic voices, a crackling sound muddling the words in a way Emma couldn't make out what was being said. Then a crashing, crunching sound in all directions. Suddenly and forcefully, she was pushed back across the room, hitting her back against the opposite wall, she slid down to the floor. The room spun and teetered around her, unable to make out objects or shapes, just swirls of colors melting together, and then another crashing hiss slicing through the air. 

Regina had sensed this, she had tried to hold her tongue and give Emma the floor to speak, but as things escalated, the woman had become worried this would happen. As the girl emitted a blue fog around her, any glass in the room began to crack, starting with the windows and then the chandelier, ending with her mirror bursting. Regina had barely gotten to the girl fast enough, but she had witnessed the horrified look on the idiots' faces just before the mirror shattered. 

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Emma blinked, the crashing had stopped and the room started to come back into focus. Regina was standing above her frowning, hands on her hips. She was angry, her mouth was moving but Emma couldn't make it out at first.

"Emma!" The dark haired woman bent down, shaking the girl by her shoulder. "Emma...can you hear me?" Regina extended her arm towards the blonde. Not angry, worried.

"What....what happened?" Emma scrunched up her face as she took the older woman's hand, pulling herself to her feet. She surveyed the damage. Shards of glass littered the stone floor, the chandelier that previously hung from the ceiling now sat haphazardly in the middle of the floor, broken candles resting beside it. Emma looked at the mirror frame, all but one piece of glass broken out of it. 

"The meeting with your parents didn't go so well." Regina responded flippantly, dusting the girl off briskly, then placing her hands on either side of the blonde's face, she tilted her head from side to side, searching for any damage. "It wasn't your fault." The older woman added when she was satisfied with her examination. 

"I ruined your hall." Emma said as she looked around the room, replaying the conversation and what had taken place. 

"I'm not concerned because you're going to repair the damage." Regina couldn't care less about the broken mirror or chandelier, she was worried for her Swan, and as satisfied as she should have felt, she was having a difficult time finding any victory in the day.

"It's broken." Emma sulked. "Everything is broken."

"You used magic to break it, you can use magic to fix it." It may have seemed uncaring, but Regina didn't think coddling was the answer to this problem. Those fools weren't important, cleaning glass off the floor was, and her Emma needed something to focus on.

"So much for controlling my magic." The girl quipped, beginning the task of repairing the damage. At least Regina wasn't angry with her, and she could fix this mess she made.

"No one that understands magic could blame you. I even had a hard time restraining myself." The older woman watched as her girl went about the room. For a few moments Emma didn't respond, pretending to be absolutely enthralled with her chore. 

"They were going to send me there all by myself." Emma stopped in the middle of repairing a section of the chandelier. Her brow wrinkled and her lips puckered, but she wasn't crying. "They weren't even sure about what would happen...and they were going to send their baby to a world they knew nothing about." Emma thought about the book. The Maine book, with all the strange contraptions, the horseless carriages... It didn't seem like a welcoming place for a child all alone.

"Emma..." Regina started, but she wasn't sure what to say. She didn't know if there was anything to say. Instead, she began working with the girl, putting everything back in place. 

"Maybe that would have been better."

"What's that, dear?"

"I wish you would have done it, Regina. I wish you would have sent us all to some other terrible world." Emma elaborated, her voice flat.

"Don't say that, Emma." Regina ordered, feeling a cold shiver in her chest. The girl had no idea what she was talking about. 

For some reason this upset the blonde more than either one would have anticipated. Emma threw down the piece of glass she had in her hand, causing it to shatter a second time. "It's true!" She yelled, her voice thick with emotion. "I wish you would have done it, and I could have not broken the curse, and everyone would just have to live unhappily for-"

"Stop it, now!" Regina's sharp voice bounced off the stone, making Emma flinch despite herself. "I really don't want to be forced to punish you, but if you say one more word about the curse today, that's exactly what I'm going to do. And I promise you won't enjoy it." The older woman threatened, her lips pursed, "Have I made myself clear?" She arched her brow, daring the girl to challenge her. Regina hated that she had to be so harsh with her Swan, especially today, but she wouldn't tolerate anymore talk about the curse. It should have made her happy that Emma felt the way she did. It was just that curse that put her out of sorts, Regina reassured herself. She no longer enjoyed thinking about it, and since Emma had arrived, the subject made her increasingly more nervous. 

For a few moments Emma stood still, refusing to look away from the woman, her nostrils flared. "Yes, Regina" she finally pushed past gritted teeth. "You've made yourself clear." Emma looked back to the ground, resuming her task. She didn't want to fight with Regina, not ever and especially not today, but it seemed unfair that this wasn't a topic up for discussion.


	22. Part 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So....here is chapter 22. I can't believe there are so many chapters to this, and I still have a ways to go... I thank you all so very much for sticking with me. You guys are just the very best!! I hope you enjoy this chapter, I will have the next one up just as soon as I can! Thank you for reading, and I can't wait to read your thoughts. Thank you a million times!
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After repairing the damage in the hall, Regina suggested taking the horses out for a ride. It was something that always helped calm her mind and she guessed that her Swan was in desperate need of just that. As long as Snow was miserable, Regina could find some peace of mind, some happiness, but it wasn't the same for the blonde, and the older woman understood this. Regina hoped that one day, with enough guidance and care, Emma would be less concerned with her parents. But, that would take time, and she had been such a loyal little Swan to her Queen today. The brunette reminded herself that this was progress.

"I am proud of you, Emma." Regina purred, as they headed towards the stable. She reached her hand out, allowing the tips of her fingers to graze the blonde's arm.

"For what?" Emma pulled her arm back sharply, her voice strained. "For destroying everything?"

The brunette frowned. "I don't blame you-"

"I should have controlled it better... I could have..." The girl tapered off, refusing two make eye contact with the older woman. 

"What do you mean?" Regina asked slowly, her eyes creased as she studied the blonde.

"I....I couldn't control it...but at first...when I first felt it.." Emma shifted, awkwardly shuffling her feet. "I might have... been able to stop it.." The girl chanced a look at the older woman, pulling the corner of her lip between her teeth. "I don't know, I.... I didn't stop it when...when I could." Emma wrinkled her brow, lost in thought. Her magic had overwhelmed her, but there was a part of her that had wanted her parents to understand what she was capable of. 

"You wanted-"

"No I didn't!" Emma yelled, inwardly cringing at the whine in her voice. She wasn't a child and she was tired of appearing as one; tired of feeling like one. Even if Regina was half right, she didn't want to admit she had been so irresponsible.

"Excuse me?" The brunette's perfect brow shot up. Regina understood this had been a difficult day for the girl, but that didn't mean Emma was permitted to behave anyway she wanted. Especially if that behavior included disrespecting the older woman. "Don't take that tone with me, Princess. It's not my fault you decided to let your magic run amok."

Emma inhaled, crossing her arms. She didn't think Regina was entirely innocent. The brunette spoke so reverently about revenge, yet it seemed when push came to shove, Regina was all talk. Emma exhaled letting her arms fall, she knew that wasn't true, and truthfully she didn't want to be on the receiving end of the woman's temper. "I'm sorry. I was just so angry.." Emma didn't want to fight with the Queen, she just felt so out of sorts. 

"You wanted to show off." Regina interjected, putting her hand up, signaling the blonde to hush, when Emma started to comment. "You may not have meant for all to take place that did, but you knew you were on the edge and you pushed forward." The older woman looked the girl over. Emma had tilted her head down, making it difficult for Regina to read her expression. Closing the space between them, the brunette tapped her index finger under the blonde's chin, applying pressure until Emma's eyes locked with her own. There was something there that Regina hadn't noticed before, a hardness, a certain quiet determination. "You can correct me if I'm wrong."

Emma's lips parted, allowing her tongue to glide across her bottom lip. "You're not wrong," the blonde breathed out after a few minutes of uncomfortable silence. Emma's emotions felt so much like her magic; running wild within her. At one moment all she wanted was to throw herself against Regina, let the woman soothe and embrace her. And the next moment she wanted to push the brunette away, scream at her and demand she use the curse.

"Alright," Regina let her hand fall to her side. She really didn't care what those idiots thought of the girl's magic show. It may have inspired those fools to start making plans, but that was just as well. The thought of going to war against the Charmings, with their daughter at her side, was quite pleasing to the older woman. Whatever it was that Emma was going through, it wouldn't last long, Regina just needed to be patient with her girl. 

"What's going to happen?" Emma's brows raised high around wide eyes. Her forehead creased, as she watched the different emotions play over the woman's face.

"That is an interesting question, isn't it, my Swan?" Regina purred. 'This is when things get fun,' the woman thought to herself, stifling a smug smile.

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"I don't want to talk to them again." Emma stated abruptly. The two had been mounted and riding for a few minutes before the blonde piped up, clearly still going through the events of the day.

"I'll see what I can do, Emma. But I wouldn't be surprised if they start making plans to rescue their daughter from the clutches of the Evil Queen." Regina turned back, glancing at the blonde. She didn't want to be harsh with the girl, but she wasn't going to sugar coat it either. Sometimes, you have to be cruel to be kind.

"You mean their Savior." Emma's lip curled as she pushed the word from her mouth.

"All the more reason, dear."

"We wouldn't have to worry about this if-"

"If you had kept control over your magic." Regina interjected, throwing the blonde a knowing look, lips pursed, brow arched. She knew exactly what Emma was trying to hint at. Maybe it was wrong to point out the blonde's faults right now, but Emma had already been warned not to bring up this topic.

Emma tilted her head down, making it difficult for the older woman to read her expression. "I don't understand why we can't even talk about it." The blonde mumbled, mostly under her breath.

"Because I said so." Regina answered crisply, her mouth tight as her skin begin to crawl at the mention of the unmentionable. "I have been very patient over this, Emma. But my patience is running thin. That answer has to satisfy you, because you're not going to enjoy the next one."

Emma pursed her lips, chewing on the inside of her cheek. Regina had not been patient, and her answer did not satisfy. Not in the least. The girl exhaled, sighing dramatically. "I forgot, I'm just your concubine. Why would you bother explaining something to your pet." She spat, giving her horse a little cluck and pushing her heels in, encouraging the animal to pick up the pace. Emma panicked, she hadn't meant to say that either, and she wanted some distance between herself and the woman. It was a foolish idea from the start.

The Queen caught up within a blink of an eye, turning her horse sideways. She blocked the path ahead, her gaze bearing heavy on the blonde. "Excuse me?" Regina's voice was sharp, like the shards of glass in the hall, her eyebrow arched upwards. "Those are your words, not mine. But I assure you, dear, if you want that title I can arrange that." The brunette snarled, her expression hard and unwavering, her dark eyes practically daring Emma to challenge her. For just a moment, the girl contemplated this thought. She was almost upset enough to do it. Almost. But, she couldn't even out-ride Regina, the woman would best her in any arena, especially in a fight- magical or otherwise.

"I'm sorry." Emma backed down, trying to sound genuine, but she was only sorry that this was turning into such an awful day. If they could just consider casting the curse, or if Regina was just a bit more forthcoming on any subject, maybe then Emma would be able to understand. Maybe she wouldn't feel so resentful towards the brunette.

"I don't believe you are, Em-ma." Regina drawled, looking the girl up and down. There was a tenseness hanging between them, and the brunette didn't care for it very much. This was her day, it was supposed to be a good day. And it still could have been, except her Swan seemed determined to misbehave. The woman contemplated taking the girl by her golden hair and pulling her off the horse; teaching her a lesson right then and there. Regina inhaled, trying to calm herself and the tightening in her loins at this thought. This was her Swan, the woman reminded herself, her girl was different from the others, she had to be patient. It was in her own best interest.

Emma could feel the woman's eyes roaming over her, like fingers poking and prodding her. She lifted her gaze, meeting the woman's dark eyes, feeling a catch in her throat. Regina's face was rather placid, giving no indication of what she was thinking or feeling. But her eyes told a different story, there was a feral, predatory quality to them, and something told Emma that she was dangerously close to pushing the woman too far. "I... I am..sorry, Regina." The blonde stammered, feeling as if her tongue was too thick, the hair on her neck standing up. 

The brunette smiled, her lips parting to show perfect white teeth all in a line. "That's better. You've been so well behaved in the days past, I would hate to have to punish you now. Be my good girl, Em-ma." Regina threatened smoothly, turning her horse back and continuing on the path.

Emma felt her face heat up. What the older woman said was most definitely a lie. Regina would have no problem punishing her, this was just a charade to the woman. A game. The blonde wanted to say something back, she wanted so badly to call Regina out on this. She wanted to see that smug look fall off the woman's face and force her to admit what she knew was true. Make her admit everything she was hiding. But that wasn't going to happen, Emma almost laughed at herself for having such frivolous thoughts. She had no real power; not against her parents and certainly not against the Queen. In that moment she hated everyone, including Regina, but especially herself. She hated how much she allowed the brunette to affect her, she hated how the woman's words made her want to be Regina's, how much she craved that woman and her approval.

Inwardly, she fought between wanting to please the brunette, and wanting to... Emma frowned. That was just the problem, she didn't know what she wanted with Regina. She most certainly didn't want to be without her, but she didn't want to be forced into obedience either. Did she? Emma let her horse fall further behind the woman as she tried to sort out her thoughts. The idea of Regina overpowering her and forcing her to behave had an immediate physical effect on her; her stomach fluttered and the muscles between her legs twitched pleasurably. But, her psyche had a more difficult response, it was muddled and confusing. Equal parts of arousal and anger. One on hand, there was a certain calmness to it, a letting go of sorts. On the other, Emma felt she had spent enough time being told what to do, and being threatened with repercussions when and if she didn't comply. Even if Regina would have been able to calm her, the woman couldn't take away her desire for revenge. The brunette should have understood this better than anyone. Emma tightened her hold on the reigns, feeling suddenly very bitter towards the older woman. Regina had the power to both soothe her and cast the curse, yet she did nothing. Emma stared at the brunette's back, silently cursing the woman for not taking action in any regard.

The blonde remained quiet during the rest of the ride. Only commenting when she was asked a direct question, and even then, the brunette recieved short one or two word answers. This grated on Regina's nerves but she let it slide, the girl was mostly behaving.

Thinking on this caused the Queen to frown. It seemed she had been letting a lot slide recently, and now her Swan had developed an attitude. And that was fine with the brunette, so long as the girl remembered who was in charge, who she belonged to.

"Emma, it's not my fault your parents responded the way they did." Regina broke the silence as they dismounted, entering the stable. "Taking your anger out on me isn't going to help your case."

Emma flared her nostrils, removing the saddle from her horse, as the older woman had taught her. She chose to remain silent on the matter. Chewing on her lip, she tried to keep from saying what would certainly push the brunette over the edge.

Regina crossed her arms over her chest, leaning against the frame of the door, as her eyes followed the girl around the large stable. Emma made her rounds, stomping over the hey, visibly upset, but refusing to comment. The blonde's silent treatment was absolutely childish, and it infuriated the brunette. She wanted to grab the girl and shake her, slap her, force her to say something, she needed some sort of response. But, she didn't want Emma to know this got to her. If the blonde didn't want to speak to her, she wasn't going to let on that it bothered her, and she certainly wouldn't beg.

"Take care of my horse, when you're done with yours." The woman ordered as she dropped the horse's reigns in front of the blonde, not even bothering to hand them to her. Regina spun on her heal, walking out of the stable briskly. It was partly to punish her Swan, partly to save her from the woman's temper. As she walked out, she caught the look of disbelief on the girl's face. Emma's lips parted slightly, her eyes wide, the girl looked as if she was slapped across the face. Had Regina stayed a moment longer, it was a very real possibility that would have happened. 

"Yes, your Majesty." Emma spat sarcastically, once Regina was out of sight. She picked up the reigns and went about the task of unsaddling the animal. The girl felt as if she could spontaneously light up in flames at any moment, she still couldn't believe what had transpired. She didn't mind Regina ordering her around at times, but this was crossing the line. It was intentional, the brunette did it to exert her power over her, put her in her place. Even more maddening, to Emma, was the fact that she was doing as the woman asked, feeling utterly powerless against the world. 

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After completing the chores in the stable, Regina hoped her Swan would have cooled down, that she would be softer and more receptive. The brunette wanted to enjoy this day, and she wanted Emma there with her. Unfortunately, it seemed that the time alone only added fuel to the fire. When Emma finished, she didn't even bother to seek the Queen out. After what Regina knew was more than enough time to complete the task, the brunette set out looking for the girl. 

Casually, as if she didn't know Emma was present, the brunette delicately floated into her library. The skirt of her dress swirling as she made her way across the room. "Oh, there you are." Regina commented flippantly, turning her head towards the girl, who was sitting down at the desk looking through a book containing maps from various kingdoms. "I take it that you finished your chores?" She asked absently.

Emma tightened her mouth, running her tongue along her gums. Was Regina trying to add insult to injury? The girl closed her eyes, trying to calm herself. Emma reopened her eyes, pretending to be absolutely enthralled with the book in front of her. To be honest, she had only been flipping through the pages in her fury, when Regina walked in. "Yes, I finished everything." She answered curtly, forcing herself to resist the urge to look up at the brunette. She tried forcing off the craving for Regina's approval. She was angry, and she wanted to stay that way.

The Queen frowned, tapping her fingers over the spine of the book in her hand. She wondered what to do with the girl, how best to deal with her. Setting the book back onto the shelf, she sauntered over towards the blonde. The woman gingerly walked behind Emma's chair, noticing the soft twitch of the blonde's head. Emma felt the urge to look behind her, let her body rest against the Queen's, but she resisted. Regina leaned over the girl, watching as her body tensed, muscles spasming oh so lightly. She hovered mere centimeters from Emma; taking note of each breath, calculating her next move. The older woman leaned down, lips just grazing the girl's ear, her hand placed strategically on the other side of the blonde; keeping her in place. Regina let out a sigh, her warm breath tickling her Swan's skin, producing goosebumps.

"Good. Girl." The woman purred in Emma's ear, her voice low and husky. Regina smiled, watching the way the girl's breath caught, and then expelled raggedly through her pretty parted lips. The signs were subtle, but they were there; a tightening of the girl's fingers around the pages of the book, the way her shoulders lifted, and her nostrils flared.

Emma pulled her lip between her teeth, desperate to strangle the moan trying to escape from her throat. She hated how easily that statement could evoke so many emotions from her, sending her heart fluttering and loins tightening. Damn Regina for having so much power over her. Damn herself, for wanting the older woman so badly; in every way. Emma dug her nails into her palm, fighting herself. One moment she berated herself for being so drawn towards the woman, the next moment she was lecturing herself on being so childish and standoffish. Her mood wasn't entirely Regina's fault, not even halfway, and she knew it. But Regina was unfair about the curse, and now she was antagonizing the girl, but more importantly she was there. 

Regina ran her hand against the girl's neck, feeling rather smug when she noticed the girl's lips part, as some of the tension disappeared from her shoulders. For a moment, Emma felt unable to resist the urge to give the brunette what she wanted; tilting into the older woman's touch, exposing the curve of her neck. She did want this, she wanted Regina. The older woman let her fingers gently slide through golden tendrils, overwhelming the girl with the sudden urge to submit to her. Emma was near succumbing to the woman; falling into her and begging for her forgiveness, although she wasn't exactly sure what for. But then Regina drawled into her ear once again; "you're not still pouting, are you, dear?"

Emma felt her face flush. Hardening her jaw, she cleared her throat, her body tensed as she fought against her need for the brunette. She snapped her head around, causing the older woman to pull her hand back, holding it in mid air. "I... I am not pouting." Emma scowled, as she met Regina's predatory gaze. 

"Yes Em-ma, you are." The older woman insisted, raising her eyebrow as she leaned back; studying the blonde. This would have been a day of celebration, but Emma was destroying any chance of that. "Hiding away up here, pretending to read. This should be a good day-"

"A good day for you!" Emma yelled, shoving her chair from the desk roughly as she got up. Wrapping her hands around the arm of the chair, holding it between herself and the brunette, using it as a shield of sorts. "You got your revenge, you have exactly what you want! That's why you won't even consider the curse-" 

"Silence..Now!" Regina growled, her voice sharp and cold. She took a step behind the chair, towards the blonde, forcing Emma to take a step back. The girl stumbled over her feet, but as wide and frightened as the green orbs appeared, Regina noticed a fire still burning in them. "I have warned you numerous times today, about bringing this subject up..." The older woman reached the girl's arm, wrapping her fingers around her forearm. When Emma tried to snatch her arm away, the brunette responded by winding her fingers tighter, pulling the girl to her harshly.

Despite herself, Emma winced, letting out a gasp, her brow furrowed. She didn't want to be affected, she didn't want her heart to begin thumping against her chest, or her mouth to become so dry. Nor did Emma want to feel the odd tinge of excitement running through her body like lightening, and she especially didn't want to feel those butterflies in her stomach or the clenching between her legs. She was angry, and she had a right to be. It was that much more infuriating that the older woman was making her feel at odds and muddling her thoughts, it wasn't fair. "S-stop.." The blonde stuttered as the other woman pushed into her, causing her breath to increase. 

"I asked that very same thing of you several times today, but I was not given that courtesy...Was I?" Regina screamed, pushing the girl back from her, letting go of her arm. Emma stumbled a few feet backwards before catching her footing. 

"Regina-"

"What? You're sorry? I'm so sure, Princess." Regina spat as she clenched her fists, arms at her side now. She wanted to slap the blonde, force the girl to bend over and whip her until that creamy white skin gleamed red. The brunette tried to catch her breath, a vision of Emma flashing through her head. It was a tempting sight, and Regina wanted to make it a reality, and at the same time she didn't. Emma had ruined what could have been a wonderful day, but the dark haired woman knew she wouldn't even have this day, if it weren't for her Swan.

"Take your book and go to your room." The raspy, suddenly tired voice, surprised both blonde and brunette. 

"What?" Emma asked, surprised enough to let her anger and irritation slip back into her voice.

"Go. To. Your. Room." The brunette repeated icily, stalking towards the girl again. 

"B-but...I...that's... that's not fair.." The blonde protested, her eyes creased and brow furrowed. 

"Now, Emma!" Regina hit her fist into her palm like a gavel.

Emma tried to stare the woman down, convey exactly how she felt about Regina, and her commands, and this entire awful day. She tried not to waver or look away, but even as she stared, she vaguely realized she was grabbing her book as the woman had told her to do. The brunette stared back, her eyes dark and cool, a glimmer of the woman from that night out in the forest shown in the Queen's eyes. 

Still irritated, still infuriated, but wanting very much to stay away from the Evil Queen, Emma hugged the book to her chest. She gave Regina one last hardened, defiant glare, hoping it bothered the brunette, but sure that it didn't. Then Emma was gone, a puff of blue smoke left swirling in her wake.

Regina stood, looking at the spot her Swan had previously occupied, hands still rolled into fists at her side. Time seemed to stand still, the brunette had no idea how long she stood, just staring at nothing as she tried to catch her breath, and calm her temper. 

She was fond of her Swan, but the girl could be absolutely infuriating. She wanted to punish Emma, but she didn't want to want that. The girl belonged to her, but she wasn't a pet, nor was she an equal, not exactly. Regina felt slightly off balance, realizing that it bothered her to have Emma upset with her. She was used to being disliked, even hated....but the blonde was a different case entirely and the older woman didn't have a point of reference to work off of. Besides, even Snow would agree with her on this one; Emma had no business with a curse as dark as the one in question. 

The Queen exhaled, unrolling her fists, and stretching her fingers. It was for Emma's own good, and hopefully the girl would have a better attitude by morning. Regina assured herself that tomorrow would be better.

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When nightfall came, Emma still hadn't heard from Regina, and she began to grow restless. She began alternating between cursing the brunette and cursing herself for being so childish and stubborn. A few hours before, one of the servants had brought up a tray of food, which Emma was sure the Queen had ordered, but in her anger she had the food sent back to the kitchen, slamming the door in the servant's face. Another childish decision on her part. Emma loosely wondered if she was supposed to stay in her room until Regina told her otherwise. She had a good assumption that was what the older woman expected of her. But Regina hadn't specifically said this... And it wasn't fair anyway. 

The more she thought about it, the more upset she became. The curse was just as much a part of her life, as it was Regina's. Maybe even more. Hadn't she already paid the steepest price for it? She still didn't blame the brunette for what her parents had done, that was all on them. But it was irritating that Regina was so unwilling to even talk about the curse. This world was supposed to belong to the girl as well, but Regina had the final say in everything. And it wasn't fair, Emma had magic and she had gotten a taste of power, and she needed more.

All in all it had been a piss poor day. Emma had needed Regina's affection, her approval, but after being threatened with a punishment she would 'not enjoy', she was annoyed with the brunette. The girl had remained civil, and done as Regina asked, at least just enough that she wasn't truly breaking any rules. Emma had to admit, Regina did try once or twice to reach out to her, telling the girl she was proud, giving her a few soft touches, but Emma had rebuffed them due to her displeasure over the day. She had pushed Regina and the older woman pushed back. The air between them had been so tense, as if they were both just waiting for an explosion, but other than being sent to her room, like a child, nothing came of it. This oddly upset the blonde more, as if Regina didn't care. This thought was enough to motivate the blonde into finding out how exactly the day had affected the Queen.

Emma stopped herself from flinging the blankets off of her. Instead, she gingerly scooted to the edge of the bed, letting one foot hit the floor, she shifted her weight. The girl didn't think she had ever gotten out of bed so slowly. Her eyes stayed on the door, as if Regina would burst through the entrance at any moment. But she didn't, the only sound filling the girl's ears was her own heartbeat. Slowly, she let her hand fall against the knob of the door, holding her breath as she pushed the massive wood, until there was just a crack. Emma looked down the hall, only illuminated by candle light, quiet and absolutely empty. She darted out into the hall, softly closing the door behind her. The girl padded quietly down the dark hall, her bare feet walking over the cool stone of the castle. When she got to Regina's door, it seemed as if she had lost her nerve. She stood in front of the entrance, remembering the last time she was here like this, and what had become of the night. Emma wasn't sure if this was an argument to run back to her room or press forward. Maybe it was curiosity that finally got the better of her, finally the blonde knocked on the thick wood of the Queen's bedchamber. The sound reverberating off the halls and making the girl jump. Then nothing. No answer or even stirring was heard in the hall. Emma raised her hand and tried again, and again she got no response. Emma scowled, this was how her entire day went, she should have known Regina wouldn't have answered. It felt like a boundary, like something that she shouldn't be doing, but the girl half expected the door to be locked. So when she turned the knob and the room opened up to her, Emma felt like maybe it was a sign she should in fact enter. 

Regina lay in the middle of the bed, breathing deeply and very obviously asleep. Emma huffed, looking at the Queen, it was actually infuriating that Regina could sleep after such a terrible day. The blonde ran up to the sleeping Queen, taking her shoulder and giving her a shove, her temper getting the better of her. Regina mumbled something, then shifted under the covers.

"Regina.." Emma whispered loudly.

No response came from the woman.

Emma waited a few more minutes. Nothing. She reached out her arm and lightly shook the brunette. Again, the woman simply shifted, but her breathing remained deep. The blonde bit her lip, debating.

It wasn't fair that Regina had neglected her all day. Yes, she had pushed the woman away...but Regina should have realized she needed her. The Queen was always so determined, and always got what she wanted. Emma thought it was obvious that Regina didn't really care, otherwise the woman would have forced her to give in.

Emma suddenly thought of her mother's words, that no one would want her after being with Regina, the Evil Queen. Her parents didn't want her. The Savior, yes. But not Emma. The blonde frowned, the stinging in her eyes only further annoying her. Maybe Regina didn't want her anymore either. The older woman had what she wanted, now she was done with the girl. Emma blinked back the tears that threatened to fall, telling herself that this couldn't be true. But what if it was, she wondered, where did that leave her? She stared down at the sleeping brunette. Regina really was beautiful, even know, as irritated as she was, it was the first thing Emma thought. The girl waited a few minutes, watching the woman breath. Once she was sure Regina would stay asleep, Emma slowly, holding her breath with each step, made her way to the tapestry against the wall. Behind it, she knew was a door, and behind that door a staircase leading down to Regina's secret room. Surely, there would be something about the curse there.

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Regina had been at a loss with what to do with her Swan. It had been such a trying day for Emma, and the older woman had tried to comfort the girl, but was rebuffed each time. Emma had teetered a fine line between obedience and insubordination. Had it have been anyone else, or had the circumstances of the day been less troublesome, Regina would have doled out a very deserved attitude adjustment. But, the blonde had stuck up for her, and it hadn't taken any prodding or magic, or even coercion to produce such behavior. Emma had acted as if it was a knee jerk reaction, and this had pleased the Queen. So, Regina was trying to look the other way. Give the girl some space, let her process everything. Her Swan was a good girl. Mostly.

The brunette was beginning to question herself just slightly. She wanted to punish Emma, the mere thought of it sent an electric charge through the woman's body, causing her abdomen to tighten. Maybe she was just looking for a reason to thrash the girl. And that wasn't fair, not that it had ever mattered before. But somehow it mattered now. It mattered with her Emma. The girl was loyal to the brunette, and that wasn't something the woman took for granted.

The older woman had given the girl her space, she certainly wasn't going to beg the blonde for her affection. The only reason she sent the girl to her room, was to protect Emma from herself. To quiet her temper and her mind, the woman had prepared a potion to help her relax. She drank the elixir that evening, knowing it would aid in her sleep, she hoped when she woke up the next morning her Swan would be more receptive, and she would be less anxious to discipline the girl.

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The room was dark and a draft in the air sent goosebumps over Emma's skin. The room felt eerie without Regina there with her. Emma told herself she was purely imagining it. It was after all, just a room, nothing more. But...it was Regina's room. And while the woman had never expressed that Emma wasn't permitted there, the girl felt like she was trespassing. A nagging feeling clawed at her stomach.

'You're not supposed to be here,' she thought to herself. Emma bit her lip, trying to push the uneasy feelings away. She waved her hand over the fireplace, hoping the light and warmth would remedy the unwelcoming feeling she got from the room.

The glow from the hearth only seemed to make matters worse. Emma glanced at the large shelves and cabinets against the wall. The shelves were filled, floor to ceiling with oddities. The items seemed to glare back at her. These were Regina's possessions, not hers, and they seemed to know she was an intruder.

Emma told herself to stop being childish. She was imaging things, and it was most likely due to her own guilty conscience. Taking a deep breath, she surveyed the room, her eyes falling to the table in the center of the room. Several books rested neatly on the wooden surface. Emma had thumbed through a couple of the pages with the Queen, but she was never given free reign. The blonde grabbed one of the spell books; greedy for the chance to investigate it without restraint. She began to flip through the pages. Spells and enchantments of varying degrees filled the book, but Emma wasn't trying to find out how to turn someone into a toad, or to glamour her appearance. She was looking for something stronger, something darker. Frustrated, she tossed the book to the side. Her eyes scanned the other books on the table. Quickly she turned the pages, searching for something that stood out to her. Perhaps she wasn't combing through the books carefully enough, but each page appeared to be similar to the last.

Flipping the cover back over and sighing, the girl looked around the room. There was something that made Emma turn to the right, her eyes resting on the large bookcase. It was another large floor the ceiling book case, but this one seemed more promising, ingredients and books lined each shelf, much like the others, but this one felt different to the girl. Emma concentrated on the shelving, tilting her head. Perhaps if she used her mind's eye to search, she may find what she needed. The blonde closed her eyes, trying to focus. At first all she could see was what she already knew was there, but then something happened. It wasn't a big revelation, and Emma was still just as clueless, but there was a certain shine she picked up when she looked at the bookcase, and while she couldn't see the wall behind it with her naked eye, in her mind's eye there had been something. Almost a transparency, although that wasn't right, she couldn't see past the wall. It was as if the wall was there, but also not there. Using magic to study the area, it seemed to shake and wave under her gaze, similar to wind hitting a blanket hanging to dry. It was curious to say the least.

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The brunette laid sprawled out in the center of her large bed, the elixir she consumed aiding in her deep sleep. Otherwise, Regina, the light sleeper that she was, would have woken up due to the noise of banging and clanking, long before an internal, almost primal alarm jolted her consciousness. The woman almost jumped as she awoke, sitting straight up in her bed, her heart pounding.

Regina scanned the room frantically. Where was Emma? The woman only now realized that she had sent the girl to her room earlier in the day. Regina threw her hand to the nightstand, blindly searching for her hand mirror. Upon clutching the silver handle, the woman took no time waving away her own reflection, until an image of the blonde's empty bedchamber came into view. The brunette frowned, a sinking feeling in her stomach. There was a trespasser among her property, and her girl was missing.

The Queen doubted this was a coincidence. The blonde had been loyal in front of her parents, but that didn't excuse the sullen, sulky attitude, and it definitely didn't excuse this most recent act of disrespect and disobedience. Regina inhaled sharply, she closed her eyes and shook her head. The brunette's mind was still cloudy with sleep. Exhaling, she tossed the covers to the side, swinging her legs to the floor. Regina pushed off the bed with determination, snapping a red silk robe on as she padded across the stone floor.

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Emma didn't bother to use a ladder, using the now mostly empty shelves for footing as she began dislodging the contents of the higher items. Books and specimens lay on the floor below the girl. 

"What. Is. This?" Emma jumped when she heard the growl behind her. It was deep and loud, filling up the room, carrying a coldness that caused the hair on the back of the girl's neck to stand on edge.

"Regina!" Emma gasped, snapping her head around, quickly scrambling down the bookcase. "I can explain." The girl looked around, only now realizing the full extent of her mess.

"Oh yes, Princess." Regina drawled, her voice low. She closed the space between them within a blink of an eye. "Please, explain to me what reason you could possibly have for being so disrespectful towards my property?" The brunette grabbed the girl by her unruly mane, pushing her towards the center of the room. Emma raised her hand, foolishly trying to loosen the painful hold on her hair. This act of insubordination only further irritated the Queen, as she wrapped her hand tighter around the golden strands. The blonde let out a wounded cry as her feet stumbled over the stone.

"I'm sorry!" Emma yelled, not sounding nearly sorry enough for the brunette's liking.

"Don't you dare lie to me!" Regina snarled, resisting the initial urge to smack the insolent girl across the face. The brunette pushed Emma forward, letting go of the golden locks, causing the girl to teeter forward. Emma reached her hands out in front of her, grabbing onto the wooden top of the table for support.

"I'm not..I'm not lying," the blonde inhaled, shaking her head frantically as she turned around to face the older woman. Emma's heart beat against her chest, and she felt her knees wobble beneath her. Before she could say another word, the brunette pinned her against the desk. Slamming her silk clad body roughly against the girl's, Regina wrapped her hand around Emma's chin, tightening her grip, causing the girl to pucker her lips from the pressure.

"Stop it!" Emma cried out, shaking her head, trying to release the woman's painful hold around her face.

The girl's defiance only antagonized the woman more. In response Regina pushed harder against the blonde, the pads of her fingers denting into the soft flesh of her face. Feeling Emma's frantic gasps of breath against her body sent a thrilling spike through the woman, settling in her abdomen. Regina's lip curled into something that wasn't quite a smile. Not quite a snarl, like a cat with a mouse trapped under it's paw, Emma was completely at her mercy. And the Queen did not feel merciful.

"You are in no position to give orders, my dear." The brunette whispered with a calmness so tightly controlled it sent a shiver through Emma. In that moment of terror, the girl stopped fighting, pinned helplessly between the woman and the desk, Emma tried to catch her breath, feeling as if her nerves were electric, she could almost feel the crackle in the air. "I've tolerated your insolence all day, but I will not tolerate your disrespect of me or my prop-"

"I wasn't disrespect-"

"Do not interrupt me!" The Queen screamed, her voice ringing in the girl's ears. "You know the rules, and the consequences of such behavior." The brunette snapped, grabbing Emma's wrists in each hand and pinning them to either side of the table. 

Earlier in the day Emma had felt some excitement, as peculiar and somewhat troubling as it was, there was a certain thrill at the thought of Regina punishing her, forcing her to submit to her will. But now, having broken so many rules, Emma didn't feel thrilled. The only thing running through her body was white hot fear. Reduced to animal instinct the girl's fight or flight method of survival took over. Before Emma knew what was happening, or what she was even doing, the girl was back in her own room, blue smoke still wrapping around her.


	23. Part 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey you guys! So I finally completed this chapter, I had hoped to get some more things into this one; but it was already feeling pretty long. Hopefully I will get a little baby chapter up by....Monday? That's what my goal is anyway, but we will see if that happens... As always I will do my best to get the next chapter up in a timely fashion. I love and appreciate your comments so much, so please don't hesitate. I hope you all enjoy! Thank you and much love!
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Regina felt light headed from the hot surge of anger running through her body, hitting her nerves like a static charge. Her room...her sanctuary, ransacked and abused, her collections, her volumes on magic, ingredients of rare origin, all of her belongings lay scattered carelessly over the floor. These were her things; painstakingly collected and treasured by the brunette. Her Swan had been teetering the line of disobedience the entire day, but this went past that line. This wasn't just bratty insubordination, this was trespassing. The epitome of disrespect, almost bordering treason. And to be honest, it was more than anger that Regina felt, she was hurt that her girl would do this to her. After everything she had done for the blonde, she wondered how Emma could be so ungrateful.

The older woman had the blonde pinned against the wooden desk, with no escape and nowhere to go. Regina was going to see to it that her Swan learned a valuable lesson about respect. The girl squirmed beneath her, only adding to Regina's anger. The least she could do was show her regret, Emma should know that she deserved whatever the brunette decided to dish out. Instead, the girl continued to show her insolence and disregard for the Queen by putting up a fight. A thought slipped into Regina's mind that, even now, in this state of fury, she tried to push away. But it was no use, it blew up, pushing all other thoughts out of her mind until all Regina could see was this single solitary revelation.

'Just like Snow,' the brunette couldn't remove those three damning words from her mind. Without realizing, the Queen tightened her hold around the blonde's wrists. Gnashing her teeth, she tried to resist the urge to rip the girl's heart out then and there.

Regina blinked, she felt it in her hands, where she held onto Emma's wrists, before she saw it. A soft vibrating hum against her palms. Had she not been so angry, or her brain so foggy from the elixir, the Queen would have stopped it. She would have known the feeling for what it was, but the woman wasn't quick enough, not tonight. Within a blink of her eye, the girl was gone. The remnants of blue smoke swirled around Regina, almost taunting the woman for her foolishness.

"You little bitch!" The Queen yelled into the now empty room. Regina had been foolish; of course the apple wouldn't fall far from the tree. She knew who Emma came from, this should have been no surprise to her. The older woman hated being a fool, and she berated herself for walking so willingly into this trap. She had allowed this, welcomed this into her sanctuary, and now she had to rectify her mistake.

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Emma opened her eyes, scanning her surroundings, she was shocked to find herself in her own room, her magic having taken over on instinct. The girl exhaled, only now realizing she was holding her breath. One hand clutched her chest, as the other propped against the cool wall, steadying herself. For a brief, wonderful moment, relief washed over Emma's nerves. She was safe. She closed her eyes, enjoying the peace within herself.

The feeling was short lived. A single breath and then her heart began to race, her eyes opening wide. Emma let out a soft little whine as her stomach tied in knots. What had she done? The girl wrapped her arms around her waist, bending forward ever so slightly. She tried to swallow, the sensation physically hurting as she pushed past the dry lump in her throat. It would only be a matter of time before Regina found her, and she couldn't even fathom how angry the Queen would be when she came to collect her.

Emma fell against the far wall of her bedchamber, gripping the drapes as she slowly slid to the floor. Squatting just inches above the stone, gasping for air. She felt the sticky sweat of panic gathering at her temples and above her lip. She couldn't hear anything but the rapid beating of her heart. She searched her mind. What was she going to do? Regina had not agreed to any of her conditions, and could do whatever she saw fit, even while blinded by anger. Emma whimpered. She thought about her last punishment, or rather the hour or so before the brunette spanked her. She morbidly tried to imagine what would have happened if the Queen had punished her out in the woods, or anytime before the woman calmed down. What would Regina do now? Emma tried to prepare herself for what was to come, but it only served to heighten her panic, making her heart beat faster, her breathing become more erratic, the sickly sweet smell of sweat filled her nostrils.

And then the Queen was there. Emma could feel the woman's presence, the thick waves of power fueled by anger wafting through the room, before the purple smoke completely materialized. She pressed herself closer to the wall, pulling her knees to her chest. "I..I'm so-"

"Shut up!" Regina snapped, her voice so sharp it made the girl flinch. The woman walked through the purple mist, waving her right hand to disperse the fog. Her gaze fixed on the blonde, cowering on the floor as if she was the victim. Regina wasn't able to see the girl's panic or fear. All the woman could see were the features in the blonde she had failed to see until now. The turn of the girl's nose, or maybe it was her cheekbones, the way her chin quivered. Regina wasn't sure, but for the first time she noticed how much the blonde resembled that foolish woman, that selfish little brat that had ruined her life. How had she been so blind?

"P-please, Regina...I'm...I'm so s-sorry." Emma stammered, peering up at the woman over her knees.

"You think your actions have no repercussions!" The older woman hissed, bending down and with one swift motion, she pulled the blonde up by her elbow. "You selfish little bitch!" She screamed, shaking the girl, hating the wide eyed innocent look the blonde wore. She was far from innocent. "You think you can just apologize and all your sins will be forgiven? Do you think an apology is enough for your reckless behavior?" She forced the girl against the wall, pinning herself against the breathless blonde.

"N-no.." Emma shook her head, the only part of her body that she could freely move. She tried not to fight the older woman, deciding that getting the inevitable over with was the best course of action.

"Look at me!" Regina demanded, but didn't wait for the blonde to comply. She twisted her hand in the girl's hair, forcing her head back until she could look into her face. She still saw Snow, but she could see her Swan this time too.

Emma bit her lip as she watched the woman look her over. Regina held her head back against the wall with one hand, while the other dug into her hip. She wanted to say something, but everything she said only seemed to make the Queen angrier. Regina's eyes were creased, her brow furrowed as she looked into Emma's face, her eyes darting from the worried green orbs to the shape of the girl's pretty lips, then back to her eyes.

Regina's frown deepened, locking her eyes with the girl's. For a few moments the woman simply stood there, staring. Finally, to the blonde's surprise, the Queen gave her hair one last tug, and then released her hold, taking just a step back. Emma knew better than to move, and honestly she wasn't sure if she even could. She stood pressed against the wall, her chest heaving as she inhaled and exhaled each breath. She waited for Regina to do with her as she wished, desperately trying not to let her magic slip or give in entirely to the fear filling each vein in her body.

Regina threw her hand into the air, enchanting the curtains in the girl's bedchamber. The fabric began to slither, wrapping around Emma's waist before she could move or protest. The blonde let out a surprised cry, instinctively trying to unravel her snake like captor, even as it pulled her up the wall.

"When I tell you to go to your room, you are to stay here until further instructions, Princess." Regina snarled, snapping her fingers. The other curtain squirmed to life, the fabric darted over to Emma, traveling up her body until it found her hands. The search was slow, but now the drape moved quickly, wrapping itself around her wrists until they were immobile and secure. With each twist or squirm Emma made, the fabric only became tighter, holding her helplessly above the stone floor. 

The brunette threw one last look of contempt at the girl, then spun on her heel. 

"Don't leave me!" Emma cried out to the Queen, but the woman acted as if she didn't hear, as she walked into the hall, doors slamming shut at her departure.

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Regina paced her bedroom, curling and uncurling her fists, her nostrils flared as she inhaled. Emma had reminded the brunette so much of her former step daughter, it sent her mind spinning, distorting her thoughts and vision. Why hadn't she seen it before? Regina poured herself a glass of port, hoping it would help calm her nerves. Bringing the ornate goblet to her lips, she let the warm fluid wash down her throat; bitter and sweet all at once. The older woman sighed, walking out to her veranda, she was greeted by the crisp night air. It was getting cooler now, the nights were beginning to stretch further, the days just a bit shorter. Only a few more months and snow would cover the ground in a thick white blanket.

Snow. Regina snorted, her lip curling. Why would you name your child Snow? It was a ridiculous name, for a ridiculous woman. Just thinking about her made the Queen's face flush. She hated seeing that woman in Emma. The blonde was hers, or so she had thought. Maybe it was too late, the girl had too much of her mother ingrained into her. Emma certainly proved who she hailed from today, with that infuriating bratty attitude. Not to mention finding the blonde among the wreckage of her most prized possessions. Where did Emma get the idea that it was acceptable to go through her belongings? That was certainly something Snow would have assumed was her privilege. In fact, Regina could recall several occasions when her step daughter had done just that. Of course, life at the palace was different than the Queen's current situation. There, the woman was forced to smile and bite her tongue; allow the irksome child to have free reign over her entire life.

But, it wasn't that way anymore, Regina thought to herself. No, she wasn't allowed to discipline Snow, nobody did that, not even the King. However, the older woman could discipline Emma. The girl was hers, and it was a matter of responsibility. The woman closed her eyes, shutting out the rest of the world while her mind searched for a solution.

Between the quietness of the night, and maybe the port in her cup, Regina's temper started to settle. Emma could be such a good girl, maybe she was being unrealistic with her expectations. No, her expectations weren't unrealistic, but expecting the offspring of such an insolent woman to understand obedience, maybe it had been a lofty idea to expect the girl to take to it so easily. It wasn't in Emma's nature, but maybe it wasn't too late. Regina told herself she had been too relaxed with the blonde, she had allowed her fondness and attraction for the girl cloud her better judgment, indulging and spoiling her Swan. Emma needed a strong hand to keep her in line, she needed guidance and Regina would just have to work whatever insolence the blonde inherited out of her girl. Emma was her Swan, she wasn't going to give up, she would just have to work harder.

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Despite her experience with the branches in the forest, Emma had continued to fight the enchanted fabric. She knew the drapes would only wrap tighter around her, but it was instinct. Emma wondered what the older woman was doing. Why did she leave her suspended this way? The blonde wondered if this was her punishment, or if that was yet to come. She flailed against the curtains, trying to pull her arms loose, the fabric wrapped uncomfortably tight around her wrists, cutting into her circulation. The fabric around her waist was worse, making it difficult to breath, she was reduced to short, small gasps of air. Emma cried out, listening to her voice echo in the empty room, and then nothing. It was the loneliest sound the girl had ever heard. Despite her resolve, the events of the day began to catch up with her. Emma squinted her eyes closed, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to fall. Her eyes stung, and it was out of her control. Much like the drapes, it seemed the more effort Emma put into not crying, the harder it was to hold back the tears.

Eventually she gave up fighting her restraints, giving in to exhaustion. Her body going limp, she felt weightless as she hovered above the floor. Emma wondered how long she had been waiting. It felt like forever, but it may have been only a few moments. It was dark outside, she could tell by the lack of light spilling in through the window. She couldn't have been waiting that long. She began to wonder how much longer Regina would make her wait. She wanted Regina to come back, and she dreaded the woman's return at the same time. She tried to hope that the brunette would be less angry when she returned, but Emma had a sinking feeling in her stomach.

The waiting was the worst. It filled the girl's head with troublesome and restless thoughts. Maybe she had disappointed Regina so much that the woman really wouldn't want her anymore. Then what was she to do? The stinging in her eyes intensified as tears slipped down her face. Emma blinked, trying to hold the tears back, but it was a useless endeavor. Exhausted, and feeling utterly lost, she gave in, hanging her head against her chest as she cried. She felt so weak and pathetic, hanging limply as her sobs filled the room. Emma wished she could at least wipe the tears away, but she was powerless against them. Her face itched, feeling sticky from the tears, and Emma was sure she would be an awful mess by the time the Queen returned.

After a while, Emma's tears dried out, leaving the girl feeling deflated and so very tired. She hated Regina, and she absolutely did not hate the woman. She wished the brunette would come back, punish her, do whatever the woman wanted. Anything was preferable to her current situation. Just as Emma thought this, the doors to her room flew open again. This time there was no gust of magic, no purple smoke swirling around the room. It was just the Queen, looking a little less terrifying than before, but she was still a woman not to be trifled with.

"Reg-"

"Quiet!" The brunette snapped.

"I'm sorry," Emma whispered, shrinking against the drapes, quickly realizing her mistake.

"I said silence!" The brunette ordered. Within a heartbeat, the Queen was only inches from the girl's face. Regina grabbed the blonde mane, tilting the girl's head until she looked into her eyes; wide and watery and deliciously at her mercy. "You do not speak unless spoken to." The woman said sternly. She was trying to correct the girl's behavior, she couldn't allow Emma to follow in her mother's footsteps; believing that an apology could erase any damage previously caused. Regina scowled. "I will not tolerate your empty apologies. Do you understand, Princess? The woman asked, raising her brow and pursing her lips. Emma nodded her head enthusiastically. "Answer me, properly." The brunette growled, digging her fingers into the girl's hair. "Yes, Regina I understand. Or, no, Regina I do not understand. Which one is it?"

"Y-yes.... Regina... I...I understand." Emma whispered, her voice hoarse.

"Good," the brunette flashed her teeth, but it wasn't a smile. Emma scrunched her face, lines running across her forehead, as her stomach flipped and flopped. Regina used her free hand to snap her fingers, removing the spell from the drapes. The fabric released the girl without warning, but Regina caught her by the forearm, still holding the girl by her curls in the other. "Walk." The older woman ordered, pushing the blonde in front of her.

Emma's legs were wobbly and uncertain, threatening to collapse beneath her; she prayed for them to keep their strength. One foot in front of the other she forced herself towards the hall. Emma felt the older woman behind her, she wanted to turn around and ask what was going to happen, but she didn't dare. She wondered if Regina was going to lock her in a cell in the dungeon. The awful maid, Beatrice would probably love that. 

"My bedchamber. Now." Regina ordered tersely, poking her index finger in the small of the girl's back when she stopped in the hall. "You're going to show me you're sorry, by fixing the mess you made. That, my dear, is how you apologize."

Emma bit her lip, a small breath of relief entering her body now that she knew where she was going. Maybe if she cleaned her mess Regina would be able to forgive her. Maybe the woman wouldn't send her away, she would rather Regina lock her up in the dungeon with Beatrice, than be sent away. She couldn't go back to her parents, not after today. Emma felt her anxiety pick up, causing her to sweat and her stomach to ache. She tried to breath, telling herself to focus on one thing at a time.

The walk from Emma's room, down to Regina's lasted less than five minutes, but it passed painfully slow for the blonde. She dreaded what would become of her, but the fear of the unknown was almost too much to stand. Finally, her bare foot landed on the last step, and Regina's hidden room came into focus.

Emma hadn't realized how much damage she had truly caused until now. She thought it was bad when Regina came down and caught her, but seeing it now...she couldn't believe she had done all of this in her frenzy. Emma felt her face heat up, embarrassed by her own behavior. The girl chanced a look behind her, knowing better than to speak out of turn right now. The Queen needed obedience to sate her anger, Emma hoped that would be enough.

Emma wrinkled her nose, feeling an icy stab in her heart. Regina refused to look at her. The woman stared straight ahead, briskly making her way to the plush lounger. Emma felt her heart lodge in her throat, she watched as the brunette flicked her wrist, producing a thick leather bound book. She had yet to so much as glance at the blonde. Emma continued to stand near the stairs, her thoughts overwhelming her mind.

Regina stretched out comfortably, covering her mouth with the back of her hand as she yawned, then flipping open the book in her hand. The woman watched the girl from the corner of her eye, while pretending to read. "I would begin cleaning, unless you want to be here all night." The brunette commented flippantly, never raising her eyes from the book.

Emma winced. Did Regina hate her so much, she couldn't even stand the sight of her? It was both heart breaking and infuriating. The blonde needed the older woman's attention; this felt like pure torture. But Regina had made it clear that, until this was taken care of, they would not be moving forward. Emma sighed, chewing her bottom lip as she scanned the room. It was in such a state of disarray, she wasn't sure where to begin. Slowly walking towards the desk, she surveyed the books and papers scattered on the floor below. She thought maybe she could get this done more quickly if she used her magic. After all, she didn't want to be there all night. Emma opened her palm, stretching her hand out over the floor, feeling her magic begin to stir. As Emma was beginning to move the items back into place, she felt a phantom push, forcing her backwards. Afraid she would lose her balance, Emma lost focus of her magic, causing everything to fall back to the floor with a thud.

"I believe you've used enough magic tonight." The woman drawled, eyes glued to the book in front of her.

Emma felt her eyes sting, her skin flushed. A part of her thought about taking one of the books and hurling it over at the brunette. She was pretty sure that Regina would look at her then. The Queen could be terrifying, but she would have preferred that to Regina's current indifference. But she supposed she wasn't here for the woman's attention, no matter how much she craved it, she was here to fix what she had done. She was supposed to show Regina she was sorry.

The older woman scanned the page of her book; a book she had read countless times. Occasionally, when Emma wasn't looking, Regina's eyes would travel up the pages of her book, to rest on the blonde. Her girl had finally taken to the very tedious task of putting everything back into its place. Regina didn't want to spend her night doing this, had she allowed Emma to use magic the chore would have been completed much quicker, but the blonde needed to learn her lesson. The dark haired woman sighed, flashing her eyes back to the page in front of her. Emma was going to take a lot of work, but the brunette hoped she would be able to correct whatever damage the girl's bloodline caused.

Emma had decided that the best course of action would be to start with one small area and work from there, breaking the room into sections. She bent down near the wooden desk, picking up a quill that had rolled near the back leg of the chair. Dusting off the long black feather, she found the ink pot a few feet away. She placed the two together on the desk neatly, giving this area a good inspection. Deciding everything was back in its place, the blonde moved onto the next section. She was leaving the bookcases across from the fireplace for last, deciding instead on the smaller hutch, made of the same dark wood as the rest of the furnishings.

Emma tried to focus and not become consumed by her thoughts or the ache in the pit of her stomach. Sometimes she was able to accomplish this, getting lost in her work. Other times, she found herself blindly putting a book or scroll up, utterly captivated by her thoughts. It was a constant spinning of emotion. At times she continued to be angry and truly irritated by the brunette, wanting to lash out. Then suddenly all she wanted was to have Regina look at her, she needed her forgiveness and to be close to the woman, an almost maddening craving. But right now, she felt ashamed. That awful, hot, almost prickly feeling in the face, just right under the skin. Emma wrinkled her brow, using her hand to wipe away the hair that stuck to her face. What she had done was wrong, no matter what her reasons were. Regina was right, she had been disrespectful, and she didn't blame the woman for being angry at her. She was angry at herself. Emma wished she was allowed to say something.

Regina peered over her book, glancing at her girl, who sat kneeling in front of the wooden hutch. She was still angry, but her blind fury was mostly gone by now. The brunette scanned her desk, Emma seemed to have finished repairing that area, but the woman was able to pick out at least two items that weren't in their correct places. And that was from across the room. Regina frowned, she didn't want to be here all night, but if she had to she would, Emma needed to learn.

The girl finished the hutch, closing the decoratively carved doors, and pushing off her knees to stand. She had put off the worst of her wreckage, but she couldn't avoid it any longer. Walking across the room, she picked up the trail of debris on her way. When Emma reached the shelving she stretched her back, sizing up the large area. She darted her eyes over to the center of the room. Regina sat with her legs crossed, her silk robe leaving little to the imagination. The woman licked her index finger, gently turning the page; she was too busy reading to bother looking up. Emma felt a whine resting in her throat. It felt as if with each second that passed, her need, her craving for the woman grew and grew; becoming needy and desperate. She had to finish this, she had to have Regina's forgiveness. The girl felt her eyes begin to sting again, blinking repeatedly she pushed them away. Tears weren't going to make the Queen forgive her.

Regina rubbed her forehead. This was exhausting, and it was boring. The woman thought about climbing back into bed, leaving Emma to finish this without her supervision. But she needed to be here. It was her responsibility to keep her Swan in line, to guide and mold the girl, and Regina was never one to shirk her responsibilities.

After much time passed, Emma placed the last of the items onto the highest shelf, using the ladder this time instead of climbing the shelves. The blonde sighed, happy to have finished. How was it that it took such little time to mess up, yet such a long time to clean up? Emma stepped off the ladder, glancing over at the Queen. Regina was still reading her stupid book, the girl frowned, furrowing her brow. Was she supposed to tell Regina she was finished?

"Stop pouting." The older woman said abruptly, her voice sharp. She never looked up, but continued to finish the page she was on. At least that's what Emma assumed the woman was doing. In reality, Regina was mentally counting to 60, she hadn't read a thing all evening. But she wasn't going to let on that she was just as anxious for this to be over as the blonde was. Regina cleared her throat, making Emma's heart jump when she glanced over at her. "So, you've put everything back as it was?" She arched her brow quizzically.

"Y-yes..." Emma said, her stomach flipping.

"Well, I suppose we will see about that." The brunette moved painfully slow, rising from her seat and making her way to the desk. Regina glanced down, and to Emma's dismay, waved her hand above the surface, sending several items back to the floor. Emma watched in horror, as the Queen inspected each section, repeating her previous actions. Emma  
wanted to run over and stop the older woman, but there was no stopping Regina.

"You were sloppy," the brunette accused, pointing to the items returned to the cool floor. "I expect you to put my things back into the correct place. Fix it" she added, picking her book back up and sitting down.

Emma thought she really might burst into tears, it had taken two hours to fix this chaos and now she had to start again. The blonde was exhausted in every way a person possibly could be. Having few favorable choices, the blonde started out on her task again. She tried to remember just where everything went, but it was difficult, so much of it looked the same. Why did Regina have to be so picky, she wondered, her frustration at the woman returning. Begrudgingly, she placed the items back, hoping she was hitting the right spots. As she worked, her mood changed, turning the events of the day over in her head. Regina hadn't deserved to be treated the way she had. Emma didn't know why she had been so childish. The girl wrinkled her nose. She had been childish, more than that, she had been a brat. And what for? In hindsight it seemed so insignificant.

Once again, Emma felt she had finished the job. This time she leaned against the bookcase as she looked over at the brunette. Silently she screamed Regina's name in her mind, begging for the woman's attention.

Emma let out a small whine when Regina didn't even bother to look up. The woman simply waved her hand and several items crashed to the ground behind her. Emma couldn't stop the tears this time, she wished Regina would just spank her and get this over with, at least then she would have her attention. Emma finally forced herself to turn around, thankfully there weren't as many mistaken this time around.

The girl bent back down, retrieving the wayward pieces. She couldn't even muster the strength to be upset with Regina. She wished she could, but her mind just kept replaying all the childish things she had done to the woman through the day. Regina really had been patient with her, and she had just kept pushing. Regina had every right to be angry, she had every right to punish her.

Emma finished cleaning the room; for the third time, with little more than a single sentence from the brunette. Somehow it made it worse to be in presence of the Queen, and yet not receive a single glance from her. Emma felt desperate for Regina's approval, but it was worse than that. Cleaning the mess she made had given Emma time to think, and while she started out angry with Regina, now she was only angry at herself. Angry and ashamed by what she had done, and now the girl worried that Regina would never forgive her. The brunette would send her away, she had disappointed Regina just like she had her parents. But this hurt worse.

Emma glanced over at the older woman, who continued to ignore her. She didn't think she could handle another episode of the brunette putting her back to work, she wanted this to end. And if Emma thought cleaning this room of Regina's again would do it, she would have stayed all night, all day if she needed to. But she didn't think that would work, and given the time to think about everything she had done to the brunette, Emma felt like she deserved to be punished. Maybe it was more than that, this manual labor and Regina's lack of attention were surely a punishment. But... She needed something. She needed Regina.

"Regina.." Emma winced, she hated how her voice trembled and whined.

"I don't recall giving you permission to speak." The Queen never looked up, her voice firm and void of any emotion.

Emma pushed back the sobs in her throat, she had pushed Regina away all day and now she would never get her back. She would have preferred the Evil Queen to this. "I'm so sorry Regina. I'm sorry for everything, not just your room. Please..please punish me so you'll stop hating me!" Emma's voice cracked as she broke into sobs, covering her face with her hands.

Regina closed her book, setting it down on the table next to her. She studied the girl standing in the middle of her room. The brunette sighed, not feeling as insanely blood thirsty as she had hours ago. The woman was still angry, Emma had been insolent and disrespectful, but maybe the girl was capable of learning her lesson.

Emma's heart began to thump as she felt the woman approach her. For a brief moment she had the urge to run away. She didn't know what was coming and she did. Even though she had asked Regina to punish her, she was having second thoughts now that it was close to becoming a reality. But she did deserve it, and she needed Regina to forgive her.

Regina reached up, removing the girl's hands to expose her tear stained face. Emma had longed for Regina all evening, for just a single glance from the woman. But now that she was under the woman's gaze, her skin felt hot almost raw, she was too ashamed to meet the woman's eyes.

"Look at me," the brunette ordered as if she had read the blonde's mind. Regina could do a lot of things, to her displeasure, reading minds wasn't one of her talents. This was about her need to see the girl's face, she needed to determine how much of her former stepdaughter resided in the princess.

Emma's watery, green eyes slowly raised, hesitantly meeting dark brown orbs. Regina pursed her lips as she studied the girl silently. The way the Queen examined her, so silent and unreadable, caused Emma to shift awkwardly in her discomfort.

"Please...don't make me leave." The blonde begged, feeling anxious and distraught with worry.

"You seem so eager to speak now, when I could barely get two words from you earlier today." The brunette observed, her voice lacking some of the bite.

"I...I know I was..I was awful. Please, Regina... I can't... I can't stand for you to hate me!" Emma's tears had started to slow, but as she spoke, as she thought about what she had done, her shame and fear of losing Regina caused fresh ones to slide down her cheek. "I don't want you to get rid of me!"

Regina's face softened. Looking at the blonde now she only saw her Swan, not that horrid woman. Perhaps a very ill behaved Swan, but hers none the less. "As I've told you before, I have no plans to get rid of you." Regina wrapped her fingers around the girl's forearm, firm, but not painful. There were so many things that needed to be said, so many questions that needed answers, but the brunette knew that right now, none of that mattered. Right now, Emma needed to be punished, and Regina needed to punish her.

The woman's words, mixed with her touch sent a flood of relief through Emma's body. Even though her heart pounded and her nerves twitched with the need to escape, her mind already began to settle. She didn't feel nearly as mixed up and confused as she had all day. She didn't feel out of control; now that she knew Regina was taking control.

"I hate the way you behaved today, I hate that you felt the need to snoop through my belongings. Belongings, I might add, that I have graciously shared with you on numerous occasions. But I don't hate you, Emma." The woman explained as she tugged on the blonde's arm. Unlike the rest of the day, Emma responded to the woman's guidance, moving without hesitation.

Regina didn't have to put much effort into positioning the girl over the back of the lounger. She could feel Emma's muscles jumping and twitching beneath the skin, but her girl fought threw it, bending at the waist and allowing the woman to do as she pleased. Her Swan knew she needed this, even if the blonde dreaded it. "Do you know why you're being punished?"

Emma nodded her head against the back of the chaise. She didn't want to talk, she just wanted this over..or maybe to begin, she wasn't sure.

"Speak, Emma." Regina's voice had lost the chilling venom, but she still spoke with enough authority to send Emma's heart racing. "Why do I have to punish you?"

"Because... Because I was so rude and terrible to you," the girl's words were muffled as she spoke against the fabric. "Because..I destroyed-"

"No." Regina interrupted, running a hand through the blonde locks. "Those are the things you did to earn a punishment. Do you understand why I punish you?" The woman waited, her body pressed against the back of the girl's thighs. She could feel the erratic way the blonde was breathing and imagined that the girl's heart beat wildly in her chest. Regina inhaled, an odd combination of urges running through her nerves. She relished the spark that hung in the air, the charge that lingered between herself and her Swan. The delicious way the girl trembled and submitted beneath her, yet there was something else. She didn't feel bad for what she was about to do, Emma deserved this, but there was a part of her that was hesitant to admit how much she enjoyed this, past the necessity of it all.

Emma searched her brain, unable to find a suitable answer to the brunette's question. She could feel Regina against her, standing behind her, the woman's hand in her hair. She didn't know why Regina thought it necessary to spank her. Was it to humiliate her? Or because Regina got a thrill from this, she wondered but didn't dare say. "I...I don't know.." She murmured, her voice high.

"You're mine, and that makes it my responsibility to correct your behavior when you misbehave." Regina explained, carefully arranging the unrully mane, her voice soft and firm at the same time.

Somehow the words the older woman spoke washed over her like a balm, soothing her very worried mind. Emma felt herself lean into the chaise, depending on the lounger and the brunette for support. Despite knowing that what was about to occur would certainly hurt, the girl felt safe in the knowledge that she was not about to lose Regina.

"Tell me if you understand, Em-ma." Regina leaned over the girl, whispering in her ear.

"Y-yes.... I understand." Emma finally replied, feeling grateful in a strange sense.

"Very good. You know what you're supposed to do."

Emma hesitated, not sure what the woman was referring to.

"Your nightgown." The brunette clarified, stepping away from the blonde, she placed her hand on the center of Emma's back. It wasn't about pining her down, or keeping the girl under her control, Regina had that in this moment. It was about reassurance, and even in as the woman was about to hurt the girl, it was about comfort. That odd mix of pleasure invading Regina's senses. She wanted to do this, needed to do it, but she also wanted to soothe her Swan all at the same time.

Once Emma knew what it was that the Queen wanted she didn't waste a moment. Even though her heart raced and her hands shook, she found the hem of the gown; pulling it clumsily around her waist. Regina noticed the way her girl complied, despite the tremor in her hands, the woman had to fight the urge to express her pride in the girl.

'Afterwards, once her punishment is over. Then I'll tell her what a good girl she was.' The brunette thought to herself, slipping her hands down the band of the blonde's undergarment and pulling the fabric to the girl's knees. Emma's sharp intake of breath causing her to steady her own breathing.

Regina produced a leather strap in her hand, raising it, and then hesitating. She felt justified in what she was about to do, but she did feel that Emma deserved a fair warning. "I went easy on you last time, you didn't know the rules and it wouldn't have been fair to do otherwise. But this time you know the rules, and the consequences of breaking them." Regina paused, running her hands down Emma's back to the creamy white skin of the girl's bottom. "So, this time I'm not going easy on you. I'm going to spank you, and it's going to hurt- as it should. And then after that we are going to have a very long discussion, because there are a few things you need to hear from me. And you are going to tell me exactly what got into you today. Is that fair?"

"Y-yes," Emma breathed out, her stomach twisting in knots; pleasure, terror, relief all twisting into one. "That's...fair." She agreed, because it felt more than fair. Anything that would have ensured her stay in the Queen's grace would have been fair.

"Good girl." Regina cooed, unable to resist the urge, as she brought the folded strap down onto Emma's exposed skin.

The swish of the strap cut through the silence of the room; filling it with a biting slap against soft flesh, followed by a strangled cry.

Emma yelled out; a wordless cry, as the strap made contact with her skin. Despite her resolve, she bucked, trying to raise up from the lounger. The older woman pushed down on the small of her back, rubbing her thumb in a circular motion; comfort and pain all twisting into one exquisite emotion. Regina wasn't lying, it did hurt. A lot. But it also felt good.

Regina didn't hesitate, another swish, and the chorus of leather hitting skin, shortly followed by Emma's cries filled the room. The older woman felt the girl struggle beneath her firm hand, a knee jerk reaction she wouldn't fault the girl for.

Emma felt powerless in the most wonderful of ways. The weight and the responsibility of the world lifting from her shoulders as she submitted to the Queen. In this moment she wasn't the Savior, she wasn't a disappointment. She was just Regina's and the woman wasn't giving up on her.

The brunette continued doling out her Swan's punishment, watching as the creamy flesh turned pink and then red. Regina maintained a rhythm; bringing the strap down over the now sensitive flesh; a swish, a sting, and then the blonde's cries, occasionally followed by a small struggle when she landed on a particularly sore spot.

As Emma lost herself in her punishment, she yelled out less, digging her nails into the fabric of the lounger, resigned to Regina's will. She rested her head against the chaise, eyes shut tightly as she accepted what Regina gave her. She cried out because her bottom ached, stinging and throbbing and she hoped for it to end. But she sobbed from a place of reverent gratitude, she sobbed as she let go of each worry her mind had been holding like a vice.

Regina brought the strap down one last time; no harder than the first slap, but not any lighter either. The leather landed over the shiny red flesh, one last high pitched cry escaping from the girl. Emma raised her back just until she felt the pressure of Regina's hand keeping her in place. She complied, letting her weight rest against the piece of furniture and breaking into sobs. Loud, unabashed open mouth sobs that filled the room, and released any last bit of tension in the blonde's body.

The girl wailed, her body heaving between the lounger and the Queen, feeling utterly weightless. Emma wasn't sure how long she stayed that way, with Regina standing over her. Time didn't seem to exist as she floated weightlessly, just her sobs, her burning bottom, the older woman's gentle hands on her skin, and her soft coos in her ear.

Regina ran her fingers through the girl's hair, then down her back. She glided her finger tips over the hot red flesh, soaking up each twitch, each hiss followed by soft, tear laced whimper the blonde gave her. She watched, waiting for Emma's breathing to level. Finally, as the girl's sobs faded, she gently pulled her Swan up by the elbow. Emma was soft and receptive and so very compliant now; all it took was the slightest pressure and the girl responded, allowing Regina to position her as she needed.

Emma was still crying, tears falling down her cheeks, an occasional deep breath caused her chest to heave. But she was coming down, the pain settling. Regina wrapped an arm around the girl's waist, holding her at the small of her back, as her other hand wiped the tears from her face.

"There's my pretty little Swan." The older woman whispered, placing her lips to Emma's temple when she choked out another sob at the statement. "Shhh, it's alright," Regina pulled her in tighter, the girl wrapping her arms around her torso, fingers digging desperately into the silk fabric. Emma let her head rest on the woman's shoulder.

Regina loved the way her girl clung to her, needy for her affection and so very sweet, her soft puffs of breath tickling her skin. "Have you had enough of this room?"

The brunette felt the girl nod emphatically, her body still quaking against her. Regina waved one hand, extinguishing the fire instantly. She pulled the girl in as tight as she could, both of them disappearing in a cloud of purple smoke.


	24. Part 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so I finally have an update! I'm always sorry it takes me so long to get these updates to you, but I'm finally finished! Next week I'm going to be pretty busy, so I'm not sure how much I will get to work on this story, but I will have the next update up just as soon as possible! I appreciate you guys so much, thank you for sticking with me and I hope you continue to enjoy this story. Much Love!! 
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Regina sat in the middle of the large bed; plush red pillows placed against the headboard. The blonde lay on top of her, the girl's head resting on her chest. For a while, Emma continued to cry, her face pressed against the brunette's warm skin. Regina had waited for the tears to slow, softly petting the girl's head and holding her close. The brunette felt as if her Swan was more hers now than ever; curled around the woman, seeking her Queen's comfort and approval after being disciplined.

Emma tried to stifle her tears, but to her relief, Regina didn't seem to mind. Quite the opposite, the woman held her tighter each time a new batch of tears washed over her. The Queen was all soft touches and gentle words while consoling her. Her bottom still burned, and she imagined it would for the next couple days. Unlike the previous spanking, Emma didn't think she wanted to be on the receiving end of Regina's strap again, but that wasn't why she cried now. Being bent over the chaise had somehow served as an emotional climax of sorts, releasing emotions she had only been vaguely aware of until now. As her tears finally died down, the girl found herself feeling emotionally spent, all that seemed to exist was this moment in Regina's arms.

"Regina.." Emma murmured against the woman's skin. "I hate that I disappointed you," she sniffled, feeling a compelling urge to ensure the brunette knew she never meant to hurt her.  
"You're not a disappointment." Regina reassured, cupping the girl's chin until she met wide tear soaked eyes. "You're learning how to be my good girl, and I'm proud of you." The older woman praised, leaning forward and brushing her lips against the girl's, soft and forceful, tasting the saltiness of fallen tears, enjoying the warm sigh the girl let out against her. She ran her fingers over the girl's bottom lip as she broke the kiss. "Emma," the brunette interrupted the gentle silence that filled the room. "Emma, we need to discuss a few things." 

"I'm so sorry," Emma breathed out, dreading the lecture she knew she was about to receive. She just wanted this moment curled around Regina,

"I believe you, dear. I do. But there are a few rules I'm laying out after today."

"Rules?" Emma's brows laced together, her forehead creased. "What...what do you mean?" Regina had already given her a list of rules. Now there were more? The girl wondered if this was another part of her punishment

"Yes, because I want to make sure this doesn't happen again." The Queen explained, smoothing out the girl's hair. She cleared her throat, "for one, you aren't to keep things from me-"

"I didn't lie to you about anything." Emma interrupted, her voice high. She had behaved horribly, but lying hadn't been one of her crimes.

"Thankfully, or your punishment would have been much worse." The brunette warned. "No, Emma, I'm referring to whatever it was that got into you today. It's about more than lying. When something is bothering you, I expect you to tell me." Regina arched her perfect brow, "respectfully of course," she added. "You came dangerously close to disrespectful today, and I still have no idea what it was that had gotten into you. I should have disciplined you and insisted that you tell me what was troubling you, instead of sending you to your room. That's my own error for allowing you to become so out of hand, I won't make it again, Emma."

Emma looked down, pulling her lip between her teeth, she ran her finger along the brocade pattern decorating the sheets. She turned over the woman's words; trying to prepare an argument. Her thoughts and feelings were her own, it wasn't right that Regina thought she had the privilege to them. But that wasn't really what the older woman was saying... Was it? Hadn't she wished for Regina to do just that earlier in the day? Take her and force her troubles from her. 

"What are you thinking, my Swan?" The woman's voice was softer, concerned. She pushed blonde curls from the girl's face. 

Emma hesitated, her face feeling warm. Asking to be punished was one thing, it was inevitable and she knew she had deserved it. But telling Regina that she had wanted the woman to do just that? Emma wasn't sure she could admit to that. "I....I should have talked to you earlier...I'm sorry." The blonde said instead, it was still the truth.

"Honesty, Emma." Regina reprimanded. The older woman could read the girl's face, even if she had no idea what was going on in the blonde's head, it was clear that the wheels were turning.

Emma huffed, her face turning red. "I.....I don't disagree." She admitted, wrinkling her nose at the admission. It was slightly humiliating, but not as bad as admitting to all of her thoughts. "I think it's fair...I guess." The blonde mumbled, feeling rather exposed. 

"It is fair, my Swan, it's only for your own good." Regina rubbed her thumb along the girl's jawline, pleased that her Swan saw the reason in her rules. "Now that we have that settled...from now on, if I tell you to go to your room, I expect you to stay there until I tell you otherwise. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Regina. I understand." Emma sighed, feeling like a disobedient child. She wasn't a child, it was rather insulting to be treated as one. The girl thought about the day and her behavior; embarrassment over the events resurfacing. She wasn't a child, which meant she really had no excuse to act like one. Perhaps Regina was right to treat her this way, after she had behaved so immaturely. 

"Good girl." The woman purred, pleased with her girl's new attitude. The brunette softly pressed her lips to the blonde's, delighted to find Emma was as responsive as ever, maybe even more so. The girl perked up instantly, gripping the silk of Regina's robe, humming sweetly against her lips. So needy, so well behaved. The Queen hated to break the kiss, but there was much more to discuss, and she could easily get lost in the enjoyment of her Swan. "One more rule, one more very important rule, and then you're going to explain everything that went on with you today."

Emma nodded, ready for this discussion to come to an end.

"I forbid you to use your magic without my permission." The older woman said firmly, looking the blonde square in the eye.

"What?!?" Emma leaned back, her face distorted. Disbelief, anger, insult all mixing into one. She felt her eyes start to sting. Regina of all people should have known how much this would hurt her.

"I will continue to teach you magic, and you may continue to use it. But only under my guidance, only with my permission." The brunette stated firmly. Regina didn't want to further hurt her girl, this wasn't a punishment. If anything, she was trying to keep the blonde from doing something worse down the road. Emma's magic needed to be controlled, it had been a worry of the woman's for some time now, and she couldn't allow it to go unchecked.

To her dismay, Emma felt a few hot tears slip down her cheeks. "You don't trust me!" She blurted, not sure if it was the thought of Regina not trusting her, or the woman taking away her power that bothered her more.

"I want to trust you," The older woman brought her fingertips to the girl's face, wiping away the tears that had fallen. Emma might have been mad at her, but the girl didn't shy away, her Swan still leaned into her touch, looking at her pleadingly. "This isn't forever, Emma. I want you to grow powerful, and I want you to use your magic. But right now it's controlling you...did it not overpower you during the discussion with your parents? You thought you could release a little and keep it under control, but your emotions were too high and it was able to overpower your will....Am I wrong?"

Emma swallowed, running her tongue over her bottom lip. The worst of it all was that the Queen was absolutely right. Once her magic had taken over she had felt out of control all day. "No..." Emma whispered, she lowered her head, feeling terribly embarrassed. 

"Emma, don't.." Regina leaned down, her dark hair mixing with blonde curls. "I promise you I'm not trying to shame you. And it's nothing to be embarrassed over. You have so much power, and it's only going to grow stronger, you're still so young, I want to help you control it."

"I want you to trust me." Emma whined. 

"I want to trust you too...and I do trust you. If I didn't, I would bind your magic so that you couldn't use it, unless I permitted that. I don't want to do that to you, and I'm not." Regina forced the girl to look at her. "I'm trusting you to use your magic with my guidance, my knowledge and my permission. Once you have it mastered you're free to use it at your discretion, but until then I want to be able to put out any fires before they start. It's not about controlling you, it's about responsibility. I'm responsible for you, Emma." The brunette paused, searching the girl's tear stained face. "Do you understand?"

Emma stared into deep brown eyes, they lacked the hard, cold quality she had witnessed this evening. What the woman said was harsh, but her glances, her touch was warm and remarkably soft. The girl looked away, focusing on the pattern in the sheets again. "Yes, Regina. I understand." She mumbled, feeling every bit like a reprimanded child. She wanted to be angry with the older woman, but now with her wits about her, Regina sounded logical. Even caring, and that was more than she could say for her mother. Regina was willing to work with her to fix the problem, she wanted to teach her. Maybe she should be grateful, it wasn't as if Regina was attempting to take her magic away. And while she did know she possessed a lot of power, she knew she wasn't strong enough to truly wield it. Not yet.

The brunette ran her fingers through the golden hair, then taking Emma's arm, she pulled the girl back to her, encouraging Emma to rest against her. Regina waited a few minutes, letting her words sink in as she petted her Swan, listening to the now even and regular breathing. "You want to be my good girl, don't you Em-ma?" She whispered, pushing hair behind the girl's ear.

Emma felt her stomach flutter and a tugging in her abdomen. She did want to be Regina's, and the woman really wasn't asking that much of her. She nodded against the woman's chest, feeling Regina press her full lips against the side of her head. 

"I know, you do." The woman purred appreciatively. "Now, are you ready to tell me what happened today? What got into this pretty head of yours?" 

Emma's arm rested over the woman's body, tightening her hold around Regina's waist, she cleared her throat. There was so much, she wasn't sure where to begin. Emma furrowed her brow looking off into the distance, "I know I said things...that I probably shouldn't have said, and did things that I shouldn't have...like allowing my magic to go unchecked." The girl chanced a look up at the brunette, Regina's warm chestnut eyes met her own. She had expected to see judgment or disappointment, but there was only understanding, and a willingness to understand. "She hated what I wore." Emma blurted, unsure why that seemed so important.

Regina laughed softly, "she was never very fashion forward, Emma. I'll have a hundred of those garments tailored for you, if that's what you want, but I don't think that's really what bothered you."

"It was everything." Emma paused, turning her head towards the brunette. "She makes me so...so angry, Regina," Emma finally stated, looking away and clearing her throat. "And then...then I got scared..."

Regina frowned, her forehead creased, "scared? Emma, you don't have to be afraid of them anymore-"

"Not... Not them, not exactly." Emma mumbled, running her thumb over the silk robe. 

"Me?" The older woman sounded hurt, her voice reaching a higher pitch than normal. "Emma, I know I might be strict with you, but-"

"I'm not afraid of you hurting me." The blonde interjected, then paused abruptly, looking off in the distance. "Well, not physically...I mean maybe sometimes, but...No that's not what I mean." Emma shook her head, trying to find the right words. She looked back up at Regina, frustration pulling at her features. "I am just your pet...or your concubine. It doesn't really matter what you call it...it all means the same thing." The blonde bit her lip, she knew Regina was tired of this subject, and the woman's silence did little to reassure her. 

"Emma..why do you think that? After all the privileges I give you..how can you think that?" Regina pursed her lips, biting at the inside of her cheek. The Queen couldn't tolerate ungratefulness.

"You don't need me now," she blurted, blinking in surprise at her blunt honesty. "That's what scares me." Emma added, no sense in holding back now. 

Regina's brow wrinkled, "what do you mean?" The older woman was trying to be patient, but she couldn't understand where these thoughts were coming from. Didn't Emma realize she was special? 

Emma sighed, chewing on her lip as she thought on how to explain. "My parents...know. I told them....about us." The girl raised her brows, trying to get her point across.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

Emma wrinkled her nose, her brows drawn together. "You have your revenge now. I don't have anything and you can toss me aside... like the others.." Emma trailed off, fixing her gaze on the bed sheets. "That's why I wanted...why I thought maybe if I could cast the curse-"

"What is it, Princess, that you think the curse will give to you?" The brunette arched her brow, her voice cold. "What do you think my curse can do for you that I cannot?"

"I...I appreciate everything you give to me, Regina...but," Emma paused, the Queen seemed to be running out of patience rather quickly and the she wasn't sure how far to push. But Regina had demanded that she reveal everything that had bothered her. Emma took a deep breath, bracing herself. "You have the final say about everything... I always have to answer to you...but you don't have to answer to anyone."

The brunette snickered coldly. "I have spent more years than I would care to admit answering to others." Regina began to wonder if she had still gone too easy on the girl. "Had I have behaved the way you did today, while I was married to the King, I assure you, I would have faced much harsher consequences than you did."

"What?" Emma pushed herself off of her side, forgetting about her injuries in the moment of shock. She hissed when she grazed her stinging bottom on the surface of the bed, pulling her knees beneath her, in an attempt to protect her tender flesh, she focused back on the woman's cryptic statement. 

"I'll have apply a salve later." Regina deflected, her previously rising temper somewhat deflated. She hadn't meant to say what she did, the less she thought of her previous life, the better.

"What are you saying?" Emma's lips turned down, her nose wrinkled as she looked Regina over. "What do you mean?"

"The salve will help-"

"You know that's not what I mean, Regina!" Emma felt her face grow hot, frustration taking over. Why was Regina so secretive? It only served to make the girl more curious about the Queen.

"Do you really want to take that tone with me?" The Queen arched her brow, reaching over and gliding her hand over the girl's sore bottom. She could feel the heat still rising.

Emma winced, her brows knitting together as she yelped. "N-no.." She looked up at Regina, her bottom lip pulled between her teeth. "I want to know you." The girl pleaded softly. 

Regina looked away, turning from her side to lean against the headboard of the bed. The two remained this way; the blonde on her knees, inspecting the older woman, while Regina stared ahead, her gaze far off. Finally the Queen spoke, "I'm sure your mother never explained the reality of royal coupling, nor the duties of a...wife." 

Emma blinked, her heart picking up. She felt as if Regina was on the verge of saying something very much worth listening to. She didn't want to miss a word out of the woman's mouth. 

"Am I wrong?" Regina asked, still staring at the wall.

"No.." Emma breathed out quietly, afraid to break the spell, to ruin whatever it was compelling the older woman to speak. She had been given a very limited education on marriage and most of that consisted of true love. This wasn't the first time Emma had gotten the feeling things weren't quite as fair and right as her mother and Blue pretended.

"Let me guess...true love?" Regina grimaced, letting out a sharp laugh that held no joy. 

"Yes, but I... I know that's not exactly real."

"Oh, it's real." The brunette responded quickly, her voice suddenly small, and terribly far away. "It's very real, Emma. And it's a very foolish endeavor." Regina stopped, staring off and then inspecting her nails. 

Silence filled the room, pregnant with unanswered questions. Emma continued to study the woman, holding her breath. She had heard all of this before, but there was a certain charge in the air. Mentally she urged Regina to go on, but the woman appeared lost somewhere in her thoughts, her full lips parted, dark eyes almost glossy as she stared at the wall. Emma wanted to say something, ask her to continue, but some instinctual part of her held back.

"He wasn't a cruel man, I've known worse. It could have been worse...as far as arranged marriages are concerned." Regina said abruptly, her voice sounding far away. Regina's nostrils flared, her lip curling up slightly as she inhaled sharply. Somehow the brunette looked incredibly vulnerable one moment and formidable the next. Regina cleared her throat, pulling her brows together and shaking her head slightly. "You asked me once if you should carry yourself as if you were my...my wife." A small smile played on the woman's lips, as if the moment she had previously been trapped in never occurred. Regina turned to the blonde, meeting the girl's bewildered expression. "Do you know what it means to be a wife, Emma?" The woman asked, searching the blonde's face. 

"What...what does it mean..to you?" Emma asked slowly, choosing each word carefully. She had the feeling that their definitions of the word varied greatly. And maybe she didn't know what it meant, Regina was the one that had been married after all.

Regina's thick lips pressed into a thin line, the corners turning upwards, but there was no mistaking it for a smile. The woman exhaled, emitting a shallow laugh, looking away once again "It means not having any power or control over yourself or what is done to you. You give up your own identity for that of your husband's, becoming a possession, belonging to your husband and surrendering to his will. It's expected that you fulfill every whim, every desire without complaint... Regardless of your own needs. A wife's only desire should be to serve her husband. Produce his heirs and raise his children, to his likeness of course." Regina looked down, her dark lashes fluttering against olive skin. 

Emma observed the woman before her, horrified by the words spoken. Regina was so powerful, so very strong. Emma couldn't imagine anyone breaking her, forcing her into the description the woman had given. She didn't want to imagine that. 

"Do you know what a wife that isn't loved by her husband, and isn't able to produce at least one heir is worth?"

"N-no.." Emma whispered, feeling suddenly nervous, almost sick to her stomach with a certain panic. She wasn't sure if she wanted Regina to continue, her heart beat against her chest, her stomach tied painfully in knots. 

"Not a thing, that's what they're worth. Absolutely nothing. You're useless other than.." The woman froze, clamping her mouth shut, as if to keep the damning words from escaping. 

Emma swallowed, her throat felt dry, almost swollen shut. "Are...are you saying-"

"I'm saying," Regina pushed herself up, straightening her posture. She exhaled, feeling suddenly overwhelmed, and unsure why she had allowed herself to speak so freely. "I'm saying that I may be strict with you, and yes, I'm the one you answer to....if you disobey me, you will be punished, so in those ways maybe it is similar." The brunette met the girl's fiery eyes. She raised her hand, caressing her Swan's cheek, understanding exactly what had caused her tongue to become so loose. "But, I promise you, you have much more power, much more worth than a...than a wife, Emma." Regina finished, offering the girl a tired smile. "And you're certainly worth more than a pet, my dear Swan."

Emma had to look away, too many thoughts threatened to come out of her mouth. Her head spun, and she needed a moment to process what Regina had revealed. She knew she should be thinking about her own situation, nothing had changed and she still felt so uncertain. But it paled in comparison to what she thought the older woman had just told her. Emma wanted to ask, she didn't like these cryptic half truths, but she couldn't. Regina was done speaking about her past, the blonde knew that, but that's not why she refrained. Even with her curiosity roaming, she wasn't sure how much more she could stomach, at least right now, and she wasn't sure how much more Regina could take. She had already hurt the woman so badly tonight, she wasn't about to pour salt on a wound. Emma licked her lips. "I hate them." She whispered, astounded at her own admission. "Regina," the blonde turned her head back towards the older woman. "They don't deserve a happy ending and I don't want to sit back and do nothing. We should...You should cast the curse, I promise I won't do anything to break it." Emma blurted, her voice sharp.

The Queen studied her girl. Emma's features had grown hard and determined, her pretty nostrils flared and her mouth drawn. Her Swan was angry indeed. Regina shook off any remaining feelings of regret at having made herself vulnerable in front of the blonde. Emma wasn't looking at her as if she was weak, or broken. Her girl looked at her with such fierce loyalty, Regina had to pause a moment and catch her breath. Yes, she would trade Snow a true love, for the woman's daughter. In such little time the girl was already so much more hers than she would ever be Snow's. Regina smiled, thinking pleasurably about how time and grooming would make Emma belong to her even more. "Turn over, Emma." Regina ordered, her voice light.

"What?" Emma's brow furrowed. "I'm sorry...I didn't-"   
"You're not being punished," the woman laughed softly. "Turn over so I can put salve on your bottom." Regina offered, gracefully stepping out of the bed, her bare feet padding lightly over the stone tile. Emma watched as the woman made her way to the dressing table on the other side of the room, her red robe swooshing around her tan legs. The brunette rustled through her drawers, producing a small glass jar. "Turn over," she said again, waving her hand, indicating what she wanted the girl to do. Emma looked up, the Queen's features were soft, her face almost carefree, it wasn't the first time the girl wondered how the woman could transfer between moods so quickly and seamlessly. It took Emma longer to get dressed than it did for Regina's mood to change from one extreme to the next. 

Regina helped raise the girl's nightgown as Emma turned onto her stomach. "Good girl," the older woman praised as she sat next to the blonde. Emma folded her arms and let her head rest upon them, trusting the brunette with her exposed flesh. "What is it that you think this curse will do for you?" Regina asked, opening the jar and carefully dipping her finger into the creamy substance. 

Emma cleared her throat, the woman had asked the same question earlier, and she still wasn't exactly sure of the answer. "I don't know," she finally admitted. "I just...If we weren't here....I wouldn't have magic, so I wouldn't have to worry about it. About not being able to control it..and...and...if you decide that you don't want me, or that you don't really need revenge anymore...then I'll at least have the curse."

"You mean you want your own revenge?" Regina tilted her head, realization finally dawning on her. What a perfect girl her Swan was. Surprising as usual, but absolutely perfect. The woman waited for an answer before applying the salve.

"Yes...Yes, I do." Emma breathed out, feeling horrible and wonderful at the same time for her admission. It was true, and now it was out in the open. And it felt...good. "I'm afraid that you might decide that they've suffered enough...then where would that leave me? I hate them Regina...They were going to send me to that world..without anyone...as a baby. Who would do that? To a world they know nothing about. Just because Blue told them? They...ugh... I hate Blue, I hate her so much. I don't want you to decide that this is enough, and then I won't have anywhere to go, and I won't have any...any retribution. I don't want them to be happy, I don't want Blue to be happy. I hate her the most. She's awful, Regina...I......I wish something terrible would happen to her. They don't deserve to be, not after what they did to me, and not after what..." Emma stopped abruptly, not sure if mentioning Regina's past was a wise decision. And she needed a moment, these thoughts had plagued her mind for days, she shouldn't have been shocked. But hearing the words out loud was different than keeping them bottled up. The spoken word carried a sort of power she hadn't anticipated.

Regina soaked up the girl's admission, which was quite pleasing to the woman's ears. Silly in some ways, but her Swan was blossoming under her guidance, and the older woman couldn't have been happier. The brunette rubbed the salve between her finger tips, warming the cool substance so not to shock the girl. Emma let out a sharp hiss as the woman's hand gingerly met her stinging bottom. 

"Shhh.. It'll feel better in a moment." Regina assured. Only seconds later the girl sighed, feeling relief wash over her, as the cool cream began to soothe the injured flesh. Regina remained quiet, still thinking of the best response to her Swan's statement. The woman busied herself with tending to the angry red marks covering the creamy white flesh. The salve would help, it would ease some of the discomfort, but her girl would still feel the sting of her punishment for the next couple days. And that was fine, if Regina had wanted to remove any reminder, she could have done so using her magic. But this had been a punishment, regardless of how well behaved Emma was in this moment, her Swan needed to remember what the repercussions would be. It was only fair.

"You're mother was right...you know." Regina finally stated, spreading the cream to the marks on the girl's upper thighs, making sure to care for each place the strap had fallen. 

Emma had closed her eyes, enjoying the soft touches, but the woman's statement was jarring and unexpected. "What do you mean?" She asked, her eyes flying open as she turned to look at the woman. 

"I'm not a Queen...not really. Not anymore, Emma."

"Don't say that. Of course you are." The girl didn't understand why the woman was telling her this. Maybe it was technically true, but Regina took her title seriously, it made her nervous to hear the brunette admit defeat.

"You're sweet, my dear." The older woman purred, a smile in her voice. "But, you know that I'm right. I think you may have some idea of what I have sacrificed for that title...Yes?"

Emma inhaled, wondering where this conversation was going. "Yes...yes I think so." She murmured into the pillow.

"Do you think that I would just walk away from something that belongs to me? Do you think that I will be able to find any peace as long as that ignorant woman sits on my throne?" Regina moved back slightly, taking the girl by her arm, helping her off her stomach. Emma turned around, cautiously resting beside the woman. To her relief the salve had worked to relieve some of the pain, making sitting bearable.

"No.." Emma whispered, eyes locked with the brunette. 

Regina smiled, showing perfect white teeth, as she brushed the girl's hair from her face, beginning to braid the golden strands, forcing them into submission. "You're right, Emma. That throne belongs to me...and it belongs to you. That's where we belong, not in some other world. With you by my side I don't need the curse to get revenge, and you don't need it either. As for worrying about your magic, that's my job. Obey me, let me teach you, and one day we will be ruling this world together. That's what I want. That's all that I want, and I think you know that I won't stop until I have it."

The girl didn't respond at first. Couldn't respond. She let the words sink in, while the older woman continued to braid her hair, pulling it out of her face into a braid down her back. Regina had shared this plan before, but something felt different tonight. It felt, real, attainable...even desirable. "Will we have to go to war?" Emma asked tentatively, looking down. 

"Maybe..." Regina paused, gently grasping the girl's chin, she raised the blonde's head until there eyes met. "Does that bother you, my Swan?" She asked, her face lined with concern. 

"I don't want you to get hurt, Regina." Emma responded, genuine worry in her voice. To her surprise the brunette smiled brilliantly, snapping her fingers, the braid magically tied as the woman pulled the blonde into her embrace. Emma fell against the woman, getting lost in the power Regina had over her.

"I won't get hurt, Emma, and I won't let you get hurt either. Let me take care of you." The Queen purred, touching her forehead to the girl's. Pretty nose to pretty nose, eyes locked together.

Emma parted her lips to speak, but nothing came out. Mutely, she nodded her head against the woman's. Regina was everything, her world, her Queen, her Savior. 

Regina held the girl's braid, parting her lips and pressing into her Swan; warm and soft and receptive. Emma moaned into her mouth, giving herself over to the older woman. The brunette could feel the girl's need, her soft hands roaming the woman's body, the way the girl pushed against her and almost whined for more. And Regina wanted to give her more, so much more. But not tonight, and it had nothing to do with her Swan's punishment. Emma had paid enough, and she would reward the girl thoroughly. But it was late, and Regina had big plans come daylight. The Queen broke the kiss, laughing at the way the girl whimpered. "Don't pout, Princess." She teased, giving the girl a peck on the cheek. "You need to sleep. We're leaving tomorrow." 

"What?" Emma's eyes widened, the shock of Regina's words dispersing her disappointment. "We're going to war already?"

"No," Regina laughed heartily. "Oh no, my Swan, you're not ready for that yet. We're going on a trip... You're birthday is coming up and I certainly wouldn't want the day to arrive and end up empty handed. What bad manners." The woman feigned embarrassment, playfully tugging the girl's braid.

"I don't understand... Where are we going?" Emma's brow wrinkled in confusion. She couldn't possibly guess what Regina had in mind.

"We're going to get you a present, but it's a surprise." Regina smiled pulling the girl back into her embrace, kissing the top of her golden head, as the girl rested against her chest. She had the perfect gift in mind for her perfect Swan.


	25. Part 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everyone,  
> Hello, and I am so sorry this has taken far too long to get updated! I have just been very busy in my personal life, but I haven't forgotten you or this story! I've started 26 already and hope to have it posted next week....provided I can avoid any catastrophes between now and then. Regardless, I have no plans to give up on this story, and in my opinion, it's just starting to get good. I hope you all enjoy this chapter, I can't wait to read your thoughts! Hope to be updating again soon!!
> 
>  
> 
> ************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

"You first, my Swan." Regina purred, her body pressed against the girl. Gently she pushed the small of the blonde's back; encouraging her up the stairs of the carriage. The Queen had busied herself through the night in order to prepare their travels. Her masked guards lined around the carriage, their horses pawing at the ground, nostrils flared.

As the years passed, Regina ventured past her castle grounds less and less. She was by no means a hermit, but life had grown dimmer and dimmer; revenge was her only friend and the going ons of the world held little pleasure for the Queen. Bearing witness to the joy of others, watching the entire world partake in one celebration after another was like salt in an open wound. Everything was different now, with her eager little Swan at her side; so sweet and loyal to her Queen. After what felt like a lifetime, Regina finally had something to celebrate.

Emma took a deep breath. It was just a step into the carriage, but the blonde felt she was on the precipice so much more. The energy between herself and the Queen ever changing; a growing, evolving entity unto itself. She recalled the first time the older woman had coaxed her into using her magic; Emma had been so sure that the world would come tumbling down. By embracing her power she would bring to life all of her parents fears, she would prove Blue right. But Emma had been wrong and Regina had been right. The blonde exhaled, glancing back at the brunette. Emma felt her heart flutter, almost overwhelmed by something she knew better than to express out loud. With Regina waiting behind her, she raised her hand to the rail placing her foot on the step. Emma pulled herself into the vehicle, glancing around the dark interior, taking a seat on the plush red velvet bench to the right.

"You're still not going to tell me where we're going?" The blonde asked, a small grin on her lips as she leaned forward; watching as the woman climbed into the coach. Her dark hair pinned back to one side, allowing chestnut waves to cascade down her right shoulder, a black Gainsborough hat decorated with black and red feathers; the wide brim delicately framing the Queen's features. The woman's dress naturally coordinated. Black lace around the woman's neckline, plunging at her bust. The black bodice fit snugly around the woman's shapely waist, her skirt adorned with dark lace, the entire ensemble outlined in crimson. 

Regina's smile was brilliant, exposing perfect white teeth. "With good time we should make it to Tenebris Manor by nightfall." The older woman teased; referring to a hunting lodge that fell under her jurisdiction. 

Emma rolled her eyes playfully. "Why do I feel like that isn't our destination?" She cocked her head to the side. 

"I don't know dear, because it is our destination....tonight." Regina feigned innocence, a mischievous gleam in her eye. Emma didn't think she had ever seen the woman so light.

"If I can guess will you tell me?" Emma cocked her head to the side as the door to the carriage shut with a clank. 

Regina arched her brow, her eyes studying the girl. "Maybe," she finally answered. 

"That's not an answer, Regina!" Emma complained, halfheartedly, a giggle escaping her mouth.

Regina shrugged, waving her hand dismissively. "You'll just have to take what you can get, dear." She replied smugly.

Emma chewed her bottom lip, trying to think what the Queen could have planned. It was hard to concentrate on this subject though, even as excited as she was.

From the moment Emma had opened her eyes, the entire morning had been a whirlwind of activity; bathing and dressing, quickly preparing for the journey. Regina had seen to most of the details before the Princess had even stepped from the large bed in the Queens room, but Emma was desperately trying to play catch up; her mind still trying to settle and sort last night's events. Thoughts of Regina holding her over the chaise as the strap bit at her soft flesh, her own out pour of emotions afterwards, and the ever increasing rules Regina expected her to obey. But, most in the forefront of her thoughts were the guarded admissions of a wounded Queen. The girl was truly more interested in asking Regina about some of the things they had discussed the previous evening; but she knew that conversation would lead to less answers than this one. And she didn't want to spoil the brunette's good mood. The journey should have been the most pressing of matters, but as long as she was near Regina, Emma didn't much care where she was going. She felt more attached to the brunette than ever.

"Is it an object?" Emma asked after a few minutes, trying to keep her mind in the present. 

"Hmmm." Regina looked off as if she was debating. "Yes, and no." The brunette answered, pleased with herself.

Emma frowned. That wasn't helpful. "How can it be both?"

"I guess you'll find out when I give it to you." Regina smirked. She was sure Emma would be pleased with the plan she had thought of. So much so, that the Queen found it quite difficult to surpress her intentions.

"How long will it take us to get there?" Emma tried a new approach.

"Three...maybe four days." Regina answered, watching as Emma's eyes widened.

"Where would we be going that takes that long?"

The brunette laughed, looking out the window as the carriage pulled along. "That is part of the surprise, dear."

Emma sighed, leaning back against her seat. The two sat in silence for a moment as Emma tried to wrack her brain. What sort of present would take that long of a journey?

"I have some questions of my own Emma." Regina broke the blonde's thoughts. "Here," she wrapped her fingers around Emma's wrist, gently tugging the girl from her seat. The carriage wheels rode over a bump; forcing Emma to fall haphazardly next to the older woman. 

The blonde yelped softly, wrinkling her nose as she winced, the salve on her bottom wearing off. The sting on her sensitive flesh wasn't all together unpleasant. It hurt, but it served as an oddly comforting reminder that she belonged to Regina. There was a completeness in that feeling Emma had never experienced before. 

"Does it hurt very badly?" Regina asked, running her fingers through the blonde's mane. Her forehead creased with concern as she studied the girl. The brunette simultaneously felt a pang in her gut and a tugging in her abdomen. She didn't want her Swan in pain...but she couldn't deny the warmth spreading thorough out her; knowing Emma belonged to her so entirely. 

"N-no...not too bad." Emma blushed as she met warm brown eyes. A mixture of emotions clouding her thoughts. A sudden surge of embarrassment due to her immature behavior, an overwhelming sense of loyalty towards the brunette, combined with a tightening between her legs. 

Regina smoothed out her girl's dress, helping Emma settle comfortably beside her. The Princess was her responsibility, and while she had earned the punishment, her Swan had also proven what a good girl she was. "Emma, did I tell you how proud of you I am?" The brunette asked, her lips near the blonde's ear as she wrapped her arm around the blonde; pulling her closer.

The carriage neared the castle gates; towering and foreboding even as they yawned open. Slowly the world beyond Regina's castle opened up as they passed through the intricate iron barrier. Emma held her breath, not sure if she didn't believe she would turn to stone or be incinerated on the spot. The girl reminded herself she wasn't breaking the Queen's rules as she subconsciously leaned into the woman's inviting body. 

"Why would you be proud of me?" Emma asked, her response delayed, head resting against the brunette's shoulder as she continued to stare out the round window of the carriage. She couldn't imagine what Regina could possibly be proud of her for, and would have preferred not thinking about her childish actions. 

"Because you know that you belong to me," the brunette cooed, caressing Emma's cheek with the back of her hand. 

Emma's blush deepened, making her cheeks warm as they flared. She watched the land roll by from the window; the trees of Regina's forest thick and dark, the trunks tangled and mutated. But the Princess wasn't truly seeing at all. She didn't know how to respond to the brunette, nor what to do with the rising flames of need emanating from her core. 

"Em-ma.." The Queen sang, wrapping her fingers around a pretty lock of hair as she pulled just enough to force the girl's gaze up to her own. "Why are you blushing?" She prodded gently, a smile in her voice. Regina had a fairly good idea why, but she wanted Emma to confirm what she suspected; what she hoped to be true. 

Creased green eyes connected with deep brown, then quickly darted away. Emma examined the velvet interior of the carriage roof. "I..." The girl's brow furrowed. "I don't know," she whispered. Liar, Emma thought to herself.

"Hmmm." Regina hummed, gliding her fingertips over the girl's arm. "I doubt that." The older woman added, but decided to drop the subject...for now. Regina's center ached for her Swan, but the journey was long and the Queen was patient. She could be patient.

"Why this dress?" Regina asked after a few minutes; Queen and Princess both gazing out the window, lost in their own thoughts. 

Emma looked down, as if she had forgotten what she wore. 

"I thought you hated it.." Regina tilted her head, her perfect brow arched. Emma had all but begged not to wear the dress only yesterday, the older woman was honestly curious by her girl's choice today. 

"I never hated it," the blonde looked at Regina matter of fact. "I just wanted something different yesterday," Emma blinked. 

"And today?" The brunette asked, kissing the top of the blonde's head, a smug smile pulling at the corners of her mouth.

Emma shrugged against the older woman. "I thought you... I thought you might like it..?" She peered up at the Queen, smiling sheepishly. How could she admit to illusions of seducing the older woman? It wasn't exactly that, though either. Emma wanted to please the brunette in more ways than one.

"You wore it for me?" Regina asked, sounding awed. She tried to purse her lips, but a smile that could not be stifled forced the corners upwards.

Emma shrugged. "I just wanted to... To do something for you." She answered, eyes wide as she tried to gauge the woman's reaction. 

Regina's brow furrowed. It wasn't that she was unhappy with the blonde's admission, far from it. But the woman felt her chest constrict, pleasurable and painful at the same time. The brunette cleared her throat, regaining control over her features.

"You are such a good girl, Em-ma." Regina praised, her voice husky. She watched with delight as Emma's skin turned a darker shade of red, understanding just what type of affect those words had on her Swan. 

Emma turned her head towards the small window, watching as the landscape slowly rolled by. "I really... I really am sorry for everything I did yesterday." She cleared her throat, still looking out at the dense forest that surrounded the Queen's land.

Using her free hand, Regina glided her fingertips against Emma's warm cheek, stopping just below her chin, she coaxed the girl until deep brown eyes met clouded green orbs once again. 

"You were such a good girl; asking for your punishment, Emma." The brunette explained, intrigued by the way Emma blushed at her words, the girl's eyes danced around the cabin of the carriage. 

"Oh.." Emma breathed out, unsure of what to say. The punishment had hurt much worse than before, but she knew it wasn't Regina's fault. She had deserved it, and she felt so grateful that Regina cared enough about her, not to send her away. She felt an ever growing sense of gratitude and loyalty towards Regina. The woman's power consumed the confined area; removing any thought of their journey or the Queen's guards and servants just outside the carriage walls. A need for physical release, to submit and give herself to Regina over powered her mind. Emma felt her dress rustle as the older woman slowly pulled at the fabric of the garment. Regina exposed the girl's far leg, then thigh; the abundance of silk fabric beginning to bunch at Emma's waist.

"Mmm... Yes, my Swan." Regina purred into the girl's ear, leaning into her as she rubbed her palm against the flesh of Emma's thigh. She felt the way her Swan was beginning to pant; so receptive, already needing her Queen. "And you showed me what a good girl you want to be for me." Regina finished the statement by gliding her hand under the band of the girl's panties, her palm touching the warm skin of Emma's bottom. She squeezed the tender flesh lightly. 

Something between a moan and a yelp came from Emma's parted lips, her nostrils flared. She could feel Regina's fingertips indenting on her welted skin. The girl squeezed her thighs together, trying to alleviate her growing craving.

Regina leaned in, moving her hand further as she kneaded the tender flesh; studying the blonde's reaction.

Emma's mouth parted, sweat gathering above her lip. Regina's massage on her injured flesh was far from relaxing; a sting that wasn't purely unpleasant, an increasing throbbing need between her legs, she felt overwhelmingly Regina's. Emma whimpered, her pink tongue darted out, gliding against suddenly parched lips. She swallowed, wondering if Regina understood what she was doing. 

"Emma," the brunette interrupted her Swan's thoughts. "Does it make you wet for me when I punish you?" Regina knew it was wrong to ask, to toy with the girl when she knew the answer. But she wanted to hear Emma admit it, she craved the reassurance that the blonde was really hers. 

Emma exhaled audibly, her eyes wide as she looked out the window again. She couldn't look at the Queen as she felt her skin heat up; desire, humiliation, the need for Regina's approval all tangling into one. The blonde yelped, feeling the older woman pinch her tender skin. 

"It's a simple question, dear." Regina purred into the girl's ear, using her free hand to keep Emma in place while she continued kneading tender skin. 

Emma squirmed fruitlessly, soft whimpers involuntarily escaping her lips. "S-sometimes." She breathed out urgently. 

"Sometimes?" Regina arched her brow. "I've only punished you twice, my Swan. I know you were wet after your punishment for stealing my horse and running away."

"I wasn't running a-" Emma yelped, a high pitched whining sound, as the older woman pinched her again, grasping a particular sensitive spot.

Regina chuckled softly into the blonde's hair. "Am I wrong?" The woman pressed on.

"N-no.... No you're not wrong." Emma blushed, wishing she could sink into the cushions. 

"Mmmm." Regina hummed approvingly, slowly moving her hand to Emma's front, letting her fingers brush gently at the girl's abdomen. She could feel Emma's breathing become more erratic. She loved the soft little pants her Swan always gave so willingly. "And last night...were you wet for your Queen then?" Regina tilted her head in an effort to read the girl. She wasn't sure of the answer this time.

Emma whimpered, leaning her head against the older woman's shoulder. She didn't know the answer to Regina's question. The brunette's fingertips continued to glide across her abdomen, teasingly moving down towards her center, and then dragging upwards, her nails scratching lightly over her lower stomach. Frustrated and needy, Emma's body responded without her permission, arching against the older woman's touch. 

Regina smiled, a warm laugh escaping her mouth.  
"Answer, Em-ma."

"I...I don't know." The girl whined, the nerves in her body begging for the Queen. "It hurt, and I was so upset...and.." Emma chewed her bottom lip, trying to give Regina what she wanted.

"Alright," the brunette receded softly, to Emma's surprise, and relief, although it was short lived. "What about now? Are you wet for your Queen now, Em-ma?" Regina pushed her hand further, tapping her fingers against the girl's hot core. She waited for an answer as her Swan panted next to her.

"Yes..." Emma whimpered without hesitation, turning her flushed face towards the woman. Her brow furrowed as she looked into Regina's soft brown eyes. 

The Queen smiled her approval, baring perfect white teeth. She slid her fingers over Emma's mound. Receiving a soft moan from her Princess as she brushed against the girl's entrance; her fingers collected the moisture pooling between the blonde's legs. Emma leaned her head further back, pushing her center towards the woman's hand. "My good girl, indeed." Regina praised, closing her mouth over her Swan's. 

Emma closed her eyes, giving into the woman's power, her body arching and begging for more. But, Regina wasn't rushed, to Emma's sincere dismay. The woman continued running her index finger across her center, but refused to go further; only stroking the flames of desire, but doing nothing to sate them. 

Emma whined, causing another infuriating chuckle from the brunette. Regina slowly broke the kiss, taking the blonde's bottom lip between her teeth as she moved away. Looking down at her Swan, the older woman felt her chest constrict again. The girl was looking up at her, her face scrunched, so much visible in those wide green eyes. It was that grateful, worshipful look the Queen had grown so fond of, but there was more; lust, a certain type of pleading need, and something Regina vaguely recognized as devotion. Not that the older woman had much experience with that emotion; giving or receiving. But she could only identify it as something similar to that. 

"Our journey has only just begun, dear." Regina teased, stroking the girl's sex with the lightest of touches.

A small whine made it's way passed Emma's pursed lips. She didn't want to beg, and she certainly didn't want to pout, she didn't want to appear anymore childish than she already had the day before. But she felt so frustrated, her center tightening, demanding attention. 

"Shhh." Regina cooed, stroking the girl's hair with her free hand. "Don't worry. Good girl's get rewarded, and you are being such a good girl, my Swan." The Queen reassured

"Regina..please." Emma whined, not sure if she was opposed to begging any longer. Emma could hear the sounds of the horses pounding the ground, the carriage wheels turning across dirt and gravel, the muffled voices of Regina's subjects, just outside the coach. She thought, perhaps she should be more concerned with the close proximity of others, but all she could concentrate on was her growing need for the older woman.

"Mmm, yes. I do love when you ask so politely, Em-ma." The brunette praised, running one hand through the girl's hair tenderly, loving the sweet and perfect way her Swan nestled against her. She really ought to write Snow a 'thank you' letter for creating such a wonderfully well suited creature. Not even with his heart in her palm, had the huntsman ever belonged so entirely to her. 

"Emma," the woman began tentatively, the hand between her girl's legs gingerly outlining the moist folds. "I've noticed that you ask for my permission when..." Regina paused, her other hand caressing the girl's cheek. "When you want release."

Emma turned her head towards the brunette, hiding her warm face against the fabric of the woman's dress. This entire conversation was humiliating. How could Regina not realize that? Still, the urge to give the brunette what she needed trumped Emma's own insecurities. And perhaps that was exactly what Regina needed; Emma thought of the very little she knew about the Queen, trying to put the pieces together. "You want to know why I do that." She muttered, her voice muffled against the woman's clothing. It wasn't a question, not a statement. Emma was relived Regina hadn't found the need to force her into looking up at the woman. For the most part, these admissions were more easily expressed with some privacy. Subconsciously, the girl's arm found it's way around the brunette's waist. 

"I've never told you that you had to-"

"But, you do like it?" Emma asked, insecurity in her voice. This time she chanced a look at the older woman. 

Regina smiled, a genuine smile that came without premeditation. "Yes," she nodded, looking down at her pleading Swan; so eager and ready for her. "But it's more than that, I expect you to wait until I give you permission."

Emma frowned. Another rule? And she had already been following this one; mostly. She was about to protest, but Regina delicately parted the her wet and needy folds, the tip of a finger brushing against her sensitive nub. 

Emma bucked, a strangled moan escaping her lips as she turned her head back against the fabric of the Queen's dress. She didn't care if she needed Regina's permission for release, she did belong to the woman after all. 

"I love bringing you to climax, Emma. And I'm proud that you've always been such a good girl without me having to tell you." Regina continued her tortuously light strokes as she spoke to the whimpering girl; her voice soft and cooing. "But, I want you to know, you belong to me. All of you, belongs to me Emma. Your pleasure belongs to me, and you will receive it as I see fit. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Regina... I understand." Emma panted, her brows knitted together, she tried pushing herself against the woman's hand; needing more.

The brunette smiled, caressing the girl across her cheek, running her other hand against Emma's warm slit. Regina loved the way her Swan squirmed, and whimpered such soft, sweet little pleas. "Such a good girl." The woman praised, causing the blonde's sex to spasm. "Why don't you show me what a good girl you are for your Queen?" Regina arched her brow quizzically, slowing removing her hand from the girl's center.

Emma whined, her eyes closing tightly at the loss of Regina's stimulation. For a moment she hadn't heard the brunette's request, but as she inhaled the words sunk in. Emma opened her eyes, looking up at the older woman; Regina stared down at her, patient and demanding at once. Of course Emma wanted to please her Queen. 

Regina flicked her wrist; the thick black curtains of the carriage closing out the rest of the world. The woman cupped the girl's chin in her hand, pushing her lips to pretty pink ones. Emma was flushed and breathless, allowing the Queen entrance to explore what was hers.

"I want to pleasure you, Regina. Please." The blonde broke the kiss, practically begging as she turned in her seat; sliding to her knees at the woman's feet. 

"Oh, and you will, my Swan." Regina replied, her voice raspy. Running her fingers through blonde locks, the older woman parted her legs, giving Emma access to her need. 

Always so eager and willing to please the woman, Emma crawled between the small space, her heart pounding and her loins aching as she tried to slow herself. She ran her hands under the Queen's dress, her palms gliding across the smooth skin of the woman's thighs. The girl's fingers found the brunette's undergarment; Queen and Princess both working to remove the obstruction. Emma pushed fabric out of her way, brushing her lips against Regina's thighs, slowly making her way to the woman's center. She could feel her Queen's heat, the woman's musky desire filling her nostrils.

She brought her lips to Regina's inner thigh, softly kissing and licking the salty flesh. Emma felt the woman's hand in her hair, holding her, guiding her, as her lips found the Queen's sex. She pushed her lips to the woman's center, kissing her mound, then running her tongue against the moist folds. Emma found a certain satisfaction in the knowledge that Regina's body betrayed how needy the woman was. Emma wondered what part she had played in this; causing her loins to tighten and pull.

Delicately, always delicate with her affection towards the Queen, Emma parted already soaked folds, gleaming with arousal, letting her tongue drag across the length of the woman's center. Finding Regina's clit, she pressed her tongue to the sensitive nerves, wrapping her lips around the nub, continuing to caress the little gem with her tongue.

"Oh, yes, Emma!" The brunette encouraged, holding her girl to her by the back of her head. Regina thrust against the blonde's sweet mouth, beginning to pant and moan. 

Emma felt an insatiable appetite for the older woman, pushing her tongue into the woman's opening, feeling the delicious, warm walls constrict against her. Regina's praise ringing in her ears, the women's arousal filling her senses. It felt like heaven. It felt perfect and right to be worshiping the Queen as she was. 

Moving her lips back to the woman's clit, she circled her tongue, bringing two fingers into Regina. She needed every part of the woman. Emma felt the brunette clamp down around her fingers, shapley thighs tightening around her as Regina continued to thrust against her mouth, alternating between stroking her hair and forcefully directing her.

"Yes! Yes, Emma..." Regina moaned, nearing her climax, moaning and bucking against the Princess. 

Emma sensed the Queen's readiness, knowing not to keep the woman waiting. She felt the brunette trembling against her as she picked up her pace, thrusting her fingers in and out, continuing to suck on the wonderfully swollen nub between her lips. Regina's moans growing urgent, more demanding, Emma flicked her tongue, trying to keep her mouth against the woman as she bucked and withered. 

Regina raised herself off the seat, holding Emma in place as she felt release wash over her body; electric waves of pleasure coursing through every nerve. Breathlessly the woman cried out, falling back against her carriage seat as her girl continued to lap at her slick arousal. 

The brunette took a minute to regain consciousness, her body entirely spent at the release of such pleasure. Opening her eyes and inhaling breathlessly, she gently pulled the blonde away from her sated loins, lovingly petting the girl's hair while she caught her breath. "Such a very good girl, my Swan." Regina praised, her hand still running through blonde locks. 

Emma looked up, still kneeling at the woman's feet; panting as she watched the rise and fall of Regina's ample chest. Her own desire had only grown, demanding attention and release. Cautiously, the girl pulled herself back into the small seat the Queen shared with her, leaning over the dazed brunette.

"You're so beautiful, Regina." The words slipped past her lips before she had consciously thought them. Hooded brown eyes met her own, a soft smile on the woman's lips. And if Emma hadn't have known better, she could have sworn there was a light blush across Regina's cheeks. 

"As are you, Princess." The woman replied, her voice husky, as she caressed the girl's cheek. "You're quite surprising, my Swan." Regina added, resting her head against the wall of the carriage; her flamboyant hat slightly disheveled.

"Is that-"

"Oh, it's very good dear." Regina interjected, running her hand lazily through blonde hair. "You, are very good. I think you deserve a reward." The Queen smiled, regaining her strength, she straightened in her seat. Brushing her lips against her panting Swan's. The girl's eyes filled with need and desire, she could smell herself on the blonde's pretty lips. Regina smiled. "Would you like your reward, Em-ma?"


	26. Part 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, chapter 26! I hope you all enjoy it... I didn't get it quite as long as I would have liked, but hopefully it's still a fun read! As always, I will have the next update posted just as soon as I get it finished! As always, thank you all for reading and I always love to hear your thoughts! You guys are the best, much love!
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"Would you like your reward Em-ma?"

The blonde opened her mouth to speak, nose to pretty nose with the older woman, but no words came to her. Instead, and to her utter dismay, a high pitched whine escaped her dry throat.

Regina tried to stifle her laugh, but her Swan was too much a sight to behold; green eyes wide and dilated, her nostrils flared, and her sweet little mouth parted; emitting breathless puffs of air. The brunette let out a warm chuckle, resting her forehead against the girl's.

"Is that a yes, Em-ma?" The Queen drawled, arching her perfect brow, feeling rather smug.

"Please.." Emma managed, her voice hoarse. She felt that a single touch from the older woman might send her over the edge, her entire body a bundle of aching nerves.

Regina smiled, beautiful and terrifying, sending a shiver down the girl's spine that settled in her center. The older woman was more than satisfied with her Swan, but seeing the girl so in need was enough to rekindle her own desires. But, she wanted to take her time; savoring her Swan.

"So polite." Regina purred, holding the girl's chin between her fingers; feeling the blonde quiver deliciously. "I love when you ask so sweetly, my Swan." The brunette brushed full crimson lips against the girl's, pining Emma against the carriage walls. Regina searched the girl's mouth, bordering on painful; teeth clashing against teeth. But her girl was so inviting, so willing and needing, the Queen couldn't help but take what was offered to her. 

"I love this dress on you," the brunette murmured, running her tongue along Emma's pink lips, then leaning. "But, I think I prefer you in nothing at all." The Queen smiled, flicking her wrist; a swirl of purple smoke and the blonde was exposed.

"Regina!" Emma gasped in protested, brow drawn, she pushed against the wall, pulling her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms. It was a knee jerk reaction. Emma wasn't fond of this trick of Regina's alone together in their bedchamber. This felt like too much; she could still hear the hustle and bustle just outside the carriage walls.

Regina tsked, gliding her palm down the length of her girl's milky body. "Don't you have any faith in me, Emma? Do you think I'd let anyone else see my Swan this way?"

"No.." Emma breathed out, feeling a pleasurable shiver at the possessiveness in the Queen's words. "But-"

"You have nothing to be shy about, dear." The older woman reassured, rubbing her palm down Emma's thigh, gliding to the top of her knees and gently applying pressure. Regina met determined green eyes; a flicker of defiance and a hardening of muscles. The brunette tilted her head; amused and curios to see if her Swan would start a fight she knew the girl couldn't win. And then it was gone, Emma softened, allowing the Queen to force her legs down, revealing all of herself. Regina smiled, so pleased with the girl's obedience; the soft trembling of the blonde's nerves only serving to heighten the woman's pleasure.

Emma brought her hands in front of her; barely covering her creamy breasts. Pulling her bottom lip between her teeth, making a soft whining sound as she inhaled, fighting the urge to bring her knees back up. The girl realized, not for the first time, that there was little she wouldn't do for Regina's smile.

The older woman tenderly brushed golden strands from the girl's face, producing a dark blue robe in her free hand. "See how good girls get rewarded?" The Queen cooed, gently tugging Emma forward, she wrapped the silk robe around her Swan. It was warm and silky soft, luxurious. And, while it didn't cover much, Emma found some comfort knowing the fabric was there. 

"I never had to teach you to ask for permission." Regina let her fingertips glide up the blonde's inner thigh, her nails dragging across soft flesh; a shiver of pleasure running to her center as her Swan's muscles jumped. "But, it's more than asking for permission, Emma. I want to teach you how to ."

"What.. What do you mean?" Emma's brows pulled together.

"I know you've always been such a good girl," Regina purred, leaning into the blonde;close enough to feel Emma's shallow puffs of breath against her thick lips. She ran her hands through golden locks, arranging the curls and tucking them behind the girl's ear, Regina's hand brushed against Emma's sex. Lightly, almost not there at all, her other hand casually petting the blonde's hair. "My pretty little Swan, I'm going to teach you how to obey me when you can no longer restrain yourself." The brunette tilted her head to the side, studying her girl.

"How...?"

"Do you trust me?" Regina asked softly, her eyes warm.

"Yes," the blonde whispered, unwavering.

Regina swallowed, the devotion in her girl's eyes forced her to pause, before smiling approvingly. Emma did trust her, the older woman had no doubt. The Queen picked through her feelings; grasping the pleasurable ones and tossing away the ones that troubled her.

Emma wondered what Regina was talking about. How she could possibly give more of herself to the woman. For a brief moment, Emma felt overwhelmed; belonging so entirely to the Queen. But, then again, hadn't she always just wanted to belong? Regina had yet to hurt her. Truly hurt her, even the punishments had been for her own good, leaving the girl feeling vastly better than before. It seemed the brunette was the only person she could trust.

And Regina was there. A force Emma couldn't deny, had no desire to deny. The soft tips of the woman's fingers glided across her arms, making the blonde shiver pleasurably. The Queen could be as gentle as she was harsh; bringing their foreheads together, placing light kisses over her face. The woman's full red lips touching the tip of her nose, making her way to her lips. It was slow and soft and almost painfully tender, and then it was more. 

It didn't take long before Regina had her Swan begging, rolling her hips, needy and aching for release.

"I...I can't, Regina!' Emma cried out, barely holding on. She squirmed, thrusting herself against the woman's touch; her center throbbing. "Please?" She begged, watching as Regina's full lips twisted into a feral smile.

"Not yet, Emma." The older woman refused, continuing to slide her fingers over the blonde's warm, wet center, placing feather light touches over her swollen nub. "Can you not hold out any longer, my Swan?" Slender fingers slid down either side of the girl's clit, pinching softly. Emma whined, jerking and flailing her legs; every muscle, every nerve; alive, electric and at Regina's mercy.

"I'm trying!" The blonde panted, her face scrunched and distorted. Afraid of displeasing the Queen, grasping at the edge, trying desperately to hold back her climax.

Shhh." Regina consoled, running a hand through tangled blonde locks, moving down to caress the girl's flushed face, her other hand continued its gentle torture of Emma's eager and pleading loins. "I know, you're my good girl," she reassured, whispering softly in the girl's ear. "But, if you're afraid you can't behave, you need to tell me." The older woman pressed her lips to the girl's forehead, taking the swollen clit between her thumb and index finger.

"I can't! Please, Regina... Please..I cant! Emma begged, tossing her head from side to side. Regina continued brushing her fingers at her center; speeding up and slowing down. Holding complete control over of each sigh, each moan, pleasure or torture.

Emma thrashed beneath her, eyes wide and begging; she cried out a wordless plea.

"Shhh. It's alright, you're alright." Regina cooed, holding her palm against the girl's mound. "Do you feel your magic? Can you feel mine?"

Emma arched her back, not feeling as if she was alright at all. An odd charge, a warm spark began swirling through her abdomen spreading into her loins. Her stomach clenched, moving down to her needy center.

"That's it, Emma. Regina interrupted her thoughts; bewildering her. Nothing was alright, she ached more than ever, her sex spasmed and clenched. "Let go, Emma." The brunette whispered encouragingly. "It's alright, let go. You're not going to disobey me."

Emma refused, closing her eyes and shaking her head from side to side. "I can't... Regina, I'm.. I'm too close...I'm-"

"You're not listening. I said let go, stop holding back-"

"I'm going to-"

"No, your not, dear. Let go and trust me." Regina raked her fingers across the blonde's stomach, her other hand between Emma's legs, still circling the girl's throbbing nerves. The older woman looked over the blonde, her Swan was so perfect; trying so hard to please her. "Trust me Emma, trust me and I'll take care of you, my pretty little Swan." Regina cooed reassuringly.

Emma exhaled, forcing herself to physically let go; expecting a pleasurable release to wash over her. She had been holding on so tightly, she was sure her climax was just around the corner. But now, the physical strain of holding back was gone, in its place came building tension. The comfort of letting go short lived as Emma stumbled into realization. Regina was right, she couldn't disobey her, even if she had wanted to. The blonde let out a guttural whine; unsure if she loved or hated the way the magic held her steadily on the edge.

"See?" Regina husked, her body hovering over the Princess. The woman's lips brushed against the girl's flushed cheeks, making their way to her own parted lips, the brunette's hand still stroking the blonde's soaked folds. "Such a good girl, my Swan. Don't worry, the magic will hold you until I allow you release."

Emma didn't quite understand what she had done. How much of it was her own magic, how much of it was Regina's? The line between herself and the Queen becoming seamlessly tied; blocking her from any release as she was pushed over the edge over and over again. With the absence of a climax, her need continued to grow, building up inside her; aching and throbbing. "Please, Regina...please?" She begged, digging her fingers into the silk fabric of her robe, withering under the Queen; residing somewhere between pleasure and pain.

Regina slowed her hand, offering the lightest of touches; she had no intention of releasing her Swan just yet. Their combined magic holding Emma in a constant state of building need; aching and craving her Queen. Regina owned the blonde's release, and the older woman wanted to savor her control.

"Mmmm. I do love how you beg so prettily, my Princess." The older woman praised, using her free hand to tenderly brush the unruly mane, while the fingers between the girl's legs slid up and down her hot center. Her fingers gliding easily over wet folds, her index finger trailing around the engorged nub: twitching under her touch, as Emma panted, moaning and crying out for relief. Regina carefully slid a single finger into her Swan's entrance, feeling the slick walls tense and close around her. Emma arched towards the intruder, suddenly needing more of the woman, feeling almost empty.

"Have you forgotten, Em-ma?" Regina husked, pulling her finger out, then carefully sliding it back into Emma's needy sex. The brunette was always so careful to stop at the first push of resistance, knowing she would soon push past the girl's remaining innocence; owning her Swan entirely. Taking back what had been taken from herself. But, unlike her own experience, Emma would give her maidenhood willingly, her Swan would beg the Queen to take it.

"Have you forgotten how you will beg me to fuck you, dear? Or, take your.. What was it that you called it...your maidenhood? The older woman asked again, smirking as Emma flailed beneath her, the milky white flesh of her body crimson, a layer of sweat covering her smooth skin.

"No," Emma whined, twisting her body. "No... I haven't..forgotten." She licked her dry lips, mouth parched. "Please...please, Regina.. Will you?" She begged, hoarsely, craving the unknown and desperately hoping the Queen would grant her release.

"Will I what, dear?" The brunette teased, alternating between torturing the girl's overly sensitive nub, and gently teasing at her entrance. Regina took her time petting the swollen flesh, her Swan's warm, wet need coating her hand, the sweet scent of the girl's arousal permeating the enclosure.

Emma mewled, whimpering, she arched her back, trying to force the woman to fill her.

"Careful!" Regina scolded, pulling her hand back; ensuring her Swan remained intact. She took the girl's clit between her thumb and forefinger, squeezing at the slick base. "I'm not about to allow you to haphazardly force my hand."

Emma squealed, trying to turn away, but Regina was everywhere; blocking any reprieve. "Please...please, Regina.. Please." Were the only words able to form, becoming a rhythmic staccato that filled the carriage.

The brunette's hands were everywhere; between her legs, the one in her hair moving down to kneed her breasts. Emma's body becoming one tangled, throbbing nerve. Twisting and pleading for her Queen's mercy, as climax after climax was denied.

"Please! Please, Regina.." Emma felt the vulgar request in the back of her throat. Even in this state of tortured ecstasy, the girl wasn't sure she could force the words that felt so absolutely wrong in her mouth. It wasn't the act, Emma was prepared to give herself to the older woman, wanted to push past this final resolve. The thought of giving Regina something that could never be taken back, belonging to her in a way that would mean forever, made the blonde's stomach flutter, clenching pleasurably. But asking in such a crass and humiliating way was something different entirely.

Emma's mouth was dry, her throat sore, but her body ached. Each nerve pulsing and begging, jerking and twitching beneath her fevered flesh. "Take it, Regina... Please...please..do what you want!" Emma cried out, a guttural animal like plea that scraped against the raw skin of her throat. "Please!" She sobbed, closing her eyes and throwing her head back. Thrusting and arching against the older woman as she cried, begging incoherently.

"Shhh...Shhh." Regina cooed, slowing her fingers around the blonde's jumping knob. "You're alright...shhh." She leaned against the girl, softly stroking her flushed cheek while brushing away damp golden curls. The older woman worked again to cast off the thoughts that troubled her; a clenching spasm in her chest, a knot in her stomach. Focusing, instead on her beautiful Swan, so devoted, so soft and willing, so very much the woman's own.

"Are you ready to come for your Queen, Emma?" Regina rasped against the girl's mouth.

Emma's teeth dug sharply into her bottom lip, her eyes shut tightly as her head rolled back and forth. "Yes... Regina, please!" Emma finally managed, short of breath. Inhaling, she readied herself, tensing slightly as she waited for Regina to break through her virtue.

To Emma's surprise, and perhaps disappointment, the older woman didn't push past her barrier. Cupping the girls center instead, Regina connected to her magic; releasing her grip over the blonde's. Pressing her palm against Emma's sex, the brunette felt her Swan quake and tremble, as she held her in place. 

Emma felt the magical vice release her. Flicking along her inner walls, bringing with it her pent up arousal, pleasure washing over her body; she trembled as each climax ripped through her. It was overwhelming, leaving her shaking, incoherent and utterly spent. Emma felt as if she didn't have a bone in her body; light and weightless, she began to drift.

"Such a very good girl," Emma heard the woman coo in her ear, but it sounded foggy and far away. Vaguely she felt something cool touch her lips.

"You need to drink, Emma." The Queen encouraged, holding a clay canister to her lips. Cold, fresh water washed past her lips and down her throat. Emma's body hummed, her eyelids heavy as the brunette continued to praise her, petting her hair and face gently. She let herself lean into the woman, collapsing across her lap.

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Emma stretched, her foot coming into contact with a hard surface, lazily, she opened her eyes. Blinking, as the carriage came into focus, she began to remember where she was. Turning her head upwards, the brunette's face came into focus, causing an immediate blush to sweep across the girl's skin at the memory of their very heated activities. She could still taste the Queen on her lips, and her loins continued to hum in satisfaction. Smiling shyly, Emma looked down, surprised to see her dress covering her body; neatly pressed and immaculate. The girl didn't remember Regina giving the garment back to her, although she didn't remember passing out either. The older woman must have used her magic to redress her while she slept. Emma looked back up at the brunette, who had yet to realize that she was being studied.

The curtains had been pulled, allowing the sun to shine in and illuminate the coach. Emma realized that she never really got to see Regina in such a candid pose. The woman held a book in her hand, deeply enthralled with whatever her eyes were picking up from the page. Her posture straight and perfect, no doubt the outcome of good breeding and tiresome lessons on etiquette. Emma smirked, doubting the older woman had picked up the techniques she used earlier in any of those etiquette lessons. She couldn't help but wonder how the Queen would be, had she not become Queen. She wondered what would have happened if Regina would have found a way out, if she would have been able to run off with Daniel and live happily ever after, as she should have been able to.

Emma frowned, a terrible knot twisting in her gut at the awful thought in her head. It was selfish and awful, and she felt like her mother for thinking it. But it was there just the same. She was glad it was her, here with Regina and not Daniel. She was glad he was dead... More than that. Emma felt a sudden bubble of hatred for the woman's soulmate. Regina loved Daniel. She still loved him. Alive or dead, that's not something she would ever have. No matter how good of a girl she was for the Queen. Emma cleared her throat, trying to push back these painful thoughts. She told herself to be happy with what she did have; Regina.

Regina snapped the book shut, looking almost startled by the interruption. Her eyes darted around the carriage, until sharp dark eyes rested on the blonde; immediately softening, lighting up warmly. "How long have you been awake?" The woman asked, smiling as she caressed her girl's face, brushing golden strands of hair out of the way.

"Not long." Emma forced a smile, trying not to be jealous of a dead stable boy. She went to push herself up, but Regina's hand held her side firmly, an unspoken command. Or request. Emma wasn't sure, and she didn't really care, she had only started to move for the older woman's comfort. She softened against the Queen, content to curl up in her lap.

"Are you alright, my Swan?" Regina asked, concerned. "I...I didn't.." The older woman stopped, trailing her hand through blonde locks. "Was that...was it enjoyable... For you?" The older woman was cautious, almost worried.

Emma tightened around the Queen, nestling against her lap as she curled her fingers under the woman's leg. She cleared her throat. "What..what was it that you did?" 

"Magic. Mine and yours." Regina explained, moving her Swan's mane to the side. She peered down at the blushing girl. "I'm going to teach you how to do it on your own, but until then, my magic will help you....maintain." The brunette settled on the word, rolling it around in her mouth.

The woman watched as Emma's blush deepened, the girl wrinkled her nose. "Does that...does that upset you?" Regina cringed at the sharp tone in her voice.

Emma heard past the sharpness. A certain vulnerability that she didn't understand, but felt the urge to ease. "N-no..." She shook her head, thinking on the subject. Emma flushed; she had enjoyed the outcome, that was undeniable. Leading up to her release had been....too many things to name, so many of them conflicting to each other. Absolute torture that reached absolute ecstasy. "It doesn't upset me...not really." Emma answered with a bit more conviction, feeling Regina relax under her.

"Regina?" The blonde asked, pushing herself up, shaking off the woman's hold on her. "Why didn't you?" Emma sat up, her brows furrowed as she studied the Queen. "You wanted me to ask you..to.." The girl stammered, her face heating up.

"You didn't mean it. Not truly, not yet." Regina explained, speaking softly, she caressed the girl's face.

"I did want you to...to-"

The older woman chuckled, regaining her composure. "You can't even say it now, Emma." She stroked her girl's face, patient with her Swan. "That's alright, you will. After we've talked about it and you've had time to think about-"

"I have. I have thought about it, Regina." Emma interrupted, irritated that the brunette thought she knew better than her.

Regina raised her hand, silencing the blonde. "You have not." She arched her brow, challenging Emma to disagree with her. When there was no objection, she continued. "You asked in the moment because you wanted release. When I do take your maidenhood, you're going to ask me properly and it's going to be because you really, truly want it. Need it, even."

Emma thought for a moment, eyes locked with the brunette's. She chewed her bottom lip, going back and forth. "I do... I want to give that to you. My virginity I mean." Emma licked her lips; feeling suddenly parched.

Regina continued to stare, making the blonde fidget. Finally the older woman spoke, "Why?" Her voice was soft, curious.

"Why?" Emma's brows rose, her green eyes wide. "I...I don't really know.." She didn't. Other than wanting to please Regina, she really didn't have a reason. On one hand, it scared her a little bit, Blue had always put so much emphasis on the need to keep her virtue intact; that was something to save for your true love. And she had heard that it would hurt, even Regina said it may hurt a little. But, she supposed there were things that had her rather intrigued over the thought. Emma thought about the way the Queen seemed to enjoy being penetrated by her, she was curious to know how it would feel. And she didn't plan on having a true love anyway.

"You'll need to come up with a better answer than that, dear." Regina interrupted the blonde's thoughts.

"Why do you.... Why do you want me to give it to you? Why do you want it?" Turn about was fair play, but Emma was also genuinely curious.

Regina frowned, looking off to the distance, she cleared her throat before looking back into curious green eyes. "There are several reasons. I think that after the initial discomfort, you will find it quite pleasurable." The older woman paused, forced to look at her own motives. Regina wanted the blonde, it wasn't just about taking what had been stolen from her, but it wasn't not about that either. The older woman sighed, contemplating. "I want you, Emma. I want you to belong to me in every way. You can only give your innocence once, and a part of you will always belong to that person. I have no plans to ever let you go, but I still want that from you. I want to know that I'll always own a part of you." Regina finished, staring squarely at the blonde.

"Do you feel like you still belong to the King?" Emma asked before she could stop herself, instantly regretting her words. She knew this wasn't a pleasant subject for the older woman, and she knew she really should be more worried about the Queen's desire to posses her so wholly. 

"The King is dead." Regina snapped, her lip curling as she spat the words.

Emma felt her heart pound, wishing she could take the question back, and wanting to ask a thousand more all at once. Cautiously, she slumped down, laying her head back on the woman's lap. Emma could feel the tension in the brunette's body; every muscle rigid and on edge. "I'm sorry for asking, Regina. That was rude." She mumbled, wishing she could undo the damage.

"Don't bring him up again, Emma." The brunette was firm, but lacked the venom of her earlier statement. "But it's alright, I'm not upset with you." Regina exhaled, forcing her mind to the present and the sweet girl in her lap. Tenderly, she ran her fingers through the blonde curls, still disheveled from earlier activities.

"Can we talk about something else...for now?" Emma glanced up, relieved to see that Regina's features had softened.

"I think that's an excellent idea, my Swan." Regina's voice was back; full and rich.

Emma desperately wanted to talk about this subject, she wanted to know Regina's secrets, and she wanted to know why taking her virginity was such an event in Regina's eyes, why she was making it one. But that involved matters the older woman wasn't ready to share. Not yet, at least. But, she did have a rather sinking feeling that it had more to do with Regina's past, than the woman was willing to admit. 

"What were you reading?" Emma changed the subject, head tilted up as Regina stroked her hair.

"Just brushing up on a few spells." The brunette offered casually, then paused as if in thought, her forehead creased. "We need to collect a few ingredients before we... Before we complete this journey." Regina smiled, happy again, plump red lips spread across her face. Her eyes gleamed mischievously, a small glimmer of smugness shining through.

"What..for?" Emma asked slowly, the corners of her lips tugged upwards; her interest piqued.

The brunette laughed softly, lifting her brows. "It's all part of your present, Emma."

"Regina-"

"Uh-uh... I'm not going to tell you." The older woman taunted playfully, tugging a curly blonde lock until the girl protested; a soft yelp.

"I kind of realized that earlier." Emma smoothed her hair down, then folded her arms under her head, running her fingertips across the thick fabric of the Queen's dress. "I was going to say; that you really don't need to get me anything. I'm... I'm flattered, but... I don't expect you to-"

"You expect me to have nothing to give my Swan on her birthday?" Regina shook her head; feigning insult. "That just wouldn't do." The woman looked off, debating. Emma could practically see the woman's mind turning, she wished she could reach her hand into the air and pluck the woman's thoughts, turn them over and explore their depth.

"Besides," Regina continued, looking back down, her forehead smooth. "It's more than just a present. It's a lesson...and the beginning of our plans together."

"A lesson? What..what kind of lesson?" Emma's features darkened. "Our plans..our plans about the kingdom?" She whispered conspiratorially, propping herself up into a sitting position.

The brunette chucked, throwing her head back. It filled the carriage, deep and throaty, and different from the ones Emma had heard before, uncensored.

The seriousness on her Swan's face was too much for the brunette to hold back. "You don't have to whisper, no one is going to run and tell your mother, Emma." Regina reminded, her slender fingers stretched across her throat; still recovering from her laughing fit. After a few breaths, the brunette glanced over at the girl, stroking her face with the back of her hand. "It's a small step in preparing you for the future. That's all, my Swan."

"Preparing for my future.." Emma repeated the brunette's words, wondering what her future with the Queen looked like. 

"Yes, Emma. Your future, taking back our kingdom, ruling by my side. That's not going to happen over night, and it certainly won't happen while your magic is still," Regina paused, catching the way her girl's skin paled. "Like yourself, your magic is still very young. It needs training, that's nothing to be ashamed of." The brunette reassured, wrapping her arm around the girl's waist. 

"So...it's a lesson?" Emma asked, not sure what to make of everything. She did want Regina to have the kingdom she had given up so much for, but she wasn't sure how much she cared about having it for herself. Then again, as long as she was near the Queen, that would be enough. 

"It is a lesson, but it's also a present. It will help build your character for the future and boost your confidence. Plus, I think you'll enjoy it immensely." It seemed that Regina spoke in riddles. "Here," the brunette handed over the battered leather book she had been reading. "Look it over; chapters 34 thru 48."

"That's going to take forever!" Emma exclaimed. As much as she enjoyed reading and as much as she wanted to hone her craft, the theory of magic wasn't quite as exciting as one would imagine. 

"Yes, well this is a long journey, Emma. And you need to learn, and not just the fun things." The woman lectured. "There is much more to magic than simply poofing, as you like to call it." Regina rolled her eyes, but there was a small smile on her lips. "When you're finished, perhaps we will stretch our legs. Who knows, maybe we'll be able to find some of the ingredients needed in the forest." Regina wiggled her eyebrows playfully.

Emma opened the book rather skeptically, running her hand down the page. The pages felt heavy as she turned them, wondering what all of this meant for her. It seemed as if she was approaching some sort of line, unseen but there all the same. A line once crossed, one could not simply turn back around and decide otherwise. The chapter she had begun to read was relatively tame, as far as magic and spells were concerned. There was much talk on the price of magic, as it seemed, all magic had a price. Emma couldn't help but wonder what prices the Queen had paid in her lifetime. As she read, the girl found it hard to concentrate on the words of the page, her mind continually drifting to the woman beside her.


	27. Part 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! I just want to thank you all for reading, I'm so grateful to you all! I hope you enjoy this next chapter, and I always look forward to any comments or thoughts or whatever! Anyway, I always try to update as soon as possible, but I will be honest...the next update may take a little while. I'm in the process of moving and also have some company coming to visit for a week... And as much as I am super excited for those things...I will be sad not to have an update as quickly as I would like. But, have no fear, as soon as the dust settles I will be back to updating more regularly. And who knows...maybe I will find the time to work on this story between now and then. Fingers crossed!! Thank you again, you guys are just the best. Much Love!!!
> 
> **********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Regina's heart pounded against her chest, ringing in her ears as it muted the world around her. A sticky string of sweat gathered above her lip; every nerve in her body urging her to run. Break free and run and run as fast as she can. Out the door, down the stone stairs and through the darkly lit halls. Run out of the palace, past it's walls and into the darkness of the forest. Her body begged, nerves twitching under dusky skin; run until she found somewhere safe. But the mind understood what animal instinct could not. There wasn't a safe place, not for her. Not for the King's young bride. 

Regina bit back a sob and the bile rising in her throat as her King's hands roamed her body. Gently, the man peeled back the layers of her gown. He moved slowly, soft with his touch, patient and chivalrous with his new wife. He had just made the young girl Queen, and Regina knew everything had a price. Her mother's humiliating lectures on exactly how to behave and please the King ran on a loop in her mind.

'Pretend to enjoy it, Regina.' Her mother had coached. 'Allow him your body, and make him feel as if you're grateful for his attention.'

Regina tried to follow her mother's advice and shake it from her mind at the same time. She could barely keep herself from running out of the chamber, how was she supposed to make the King feel as if she was grateful? Enjoying it? The thought made her stomach turn. Even a world a way, Cora still had a hold on her. The brunette held her breath as her husband slipped a thick finger under the strap of her gown; exposing smooth tan shoulders. It wasn't supposed to be this way. Not here. Not now. Regina closed her eyes, trying to steady her breath. Silently, she prayed to any God that would listen. With a heavy heart, she wondered where her fairy godmother was. 

The King took her hand in his. Until this moment, Regina had allowed a small spot in her heart to hold out for hope. This was beyond wrong, and she couldn't believe it was really happening. But it was. No fairy godmother was coming to her rescue. No one was there, except the King. And she was his wife now, and she had to fulfill her duties, this wasn't a choice and there were no options. Regina's eyes stung as she followed numbly, walking as if she was underwater. The young bride allowed her King to guide her towards the large four poster bed. 

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The Evil Queen jolted, her eyes flying open. The older woman frowned; surveying her surroundings. She put her right hand to her chest, her heart continuing to beat wildly. Erratic, it thumped against her hand frantically. But she was in her carriage, and the King was dead, at her hand no less. 

And beside her... Beside Regina, sat the golden haired granddaughter of the man that took her innocence, daughter of the woman that had selfishly ruined her life. The girl had quite literally run into the arms of the Evil Queen; willing to accept her fate. 

"Regina..?" Emma asked cautiously, her voice unsure. She had been reading over the pages of the Queen's spell book, when she felt the woman jerk awake beside her. Emma knew panic when she saw it. And, while it was gone now, she had seen it in Regina's eyes, even for just a moment.

The brunette bore her teeth in something that vaguely resembled a smile. Emma was so very much hers. Damaged by the same people; drawn to one another as if it had been written in the stars. Her Swan was so willing and eager, so needy for her Queen's approval. Emma's idiot parents had damaged the girl so badly, it didn't take much effort or time to win the blonde's devotion. Her Swan was just that, hers. And the Queen could do whatever she pleased with the blonde. 

"Regina..are you..are you alright?" Emma asked again, resting a shaky hand on top of the older woman's. Upon skin meeting skin; the blonde felt the brunette's nerves jump, then settle as the Queen regained control. She watched as a myriad of emotions passed over the brunette. Some made Emma's heart ache, while others sent a shiver of terror down her spine.

A cloud passed over Regina's face, darkening her features as she frowned. She didn't want to hurt Emma. Not really. And she wouldn't. Teach her, keep her in line, groom her to be the Queen's perfect companion... Yes. But Regina reminded herself that she wouldn't hurt the blonde, she didn't want to hurt Emma. They had both been hurt too much, and it was time to turn the tables. It was time for someone else to hurt.

"We need to walk. We've been sitting too long and it's stifling in here." The older woman brushed the girl's hand from hers dismissively. Ignoring the pout on Emma's face, she pulled a chord attached to the side of the carriage, running past the length of the vehicle out to the driver. A bell chimed, signalling Regina's wish to stop. 

Emma closed the book, resting it in her lap as the wheels of the carriage slowed to a halt. She knew something was troubling Regina, and she also knew not to ask. She had already been warned once; Emma had no intention of pushing the Queen. Still, she couldn't help feeling slightly rebuffed by the older woman. 

Regina turned the handle on the door. The woman was as coolly composed as ever; shoulders back, head held high, but Emma noticed the tremor in the brunette's hands as she pushed the door open. Almost frantic with the need to escape the carriage, Regina's black leather boots hit the gravel before the blonde could stand. 

"Your Majesty," a dark guard appeared at the brunette's side offering assistance.

The Queen snapped her head in the direction of her subject, a snarl on her lips. "I did not request your presence." The dark haired women held her hand up; palm out. With a wave of her hand the man quickly returned to the sidelines. 

Regina turned back, inhaling fresh air, instant relief hitting her senses. She hadn't dreamed of the King in years, why her mind would choose to throw her into the past now, was beyond her. Regina only knew that she couldn't sit another minute in the carriage, suffocated by her thoughts, the past lingering so close. 

The brunette cleared her throat, smoothing out her dress, she turned around. Emma's eyes bore into her; brow furrowed and lips drawn. Regina frowned, her face heating up; embarrassed for appearing so weak in front of the blonde.

"We don't have all day, Princess." The older woman snapped.

"I'm sorry." Emma mumbled, reaching the dirt path. She didn't think she had anything to apologize for, but she didn't want the Queen anymore agitated than she already was.

Regina's features softened. It wasn't her Swan's fault. Emma was, after all, her prize, a repayment for a lifetime of heartache and betrayal. 

"It's alright." The older woman sighed, taking the girl's hand, smiling as Emma's fingers quickly intertwined with her own. "Come, let's walk for a bit," Regina rubbed her thumb over the top of the blonde's hand. This was good; her army surrounding them, her Swan at her side. There was much to celebrate.

Emma trained her eyes on their surroundings. Not truly looking, she contemplated the Queen's mood swings. It was disarming, the way Regina could flip between emotions so quickly. It made the blonde uneasy, as much as she... Cared for, and trusted the older woman, there were times when Emma wasn't sure if she was coming or going. And it was more than that. She wanted to be able to soothe the older woman, she wanted to know what it was that had caused the Queen to jerk awake, so frantic to escape the confines of the carriage. But that wasn't going to happen, and she knew it. At least not right now.

"They're kind of...well they're scary, Regina." Emma commented abruptly, staring at the masked men as they meandered through the forest path. 

"Who?" The woman asked, forehead creased with worry as she pulled the girl to her protectively. "Oh," Regina chuckled, realization dawning on her. "Yes. Well, then they're doing their job."

Emma continued to stare at the woman's caravan of subjects. Mostly guards, but she recognized some of the castle staff were attending the journey. 

"You have no reason to fear them," Regina added, looking over at the blonde, she gave her hand a squeeze. "They're yours as well, Emma." She smiled softly, continuing to walk with her Swan.

Emma looked at the Queen dubiously. She was still trying to reconcile her place with Regina. It was a difficult position to grasp, or even sort her own feelings out on the matter. Regina seemed more and more intent on controlling every part of her, and just as Emma would feel she couldn't take much more, Regina would turn around and easily hand over power. Power over others, at least. And Emma didn't even really care about the guards, she had no clue what to do with them... But, she doubted that the Queen ever shared her army with anyone else. And that was something the girl realized she was interested in. 

"What do you mean?" Emma finally asked, wrinkling her nose as she studied the brunette.

"Don't be silly, Emma. Every Princess needs an army. Everyone here will answer to you, just as they would answer to me."

"I answer to you.." The blonde added quietly, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

"Yes, you do." Regina stopped, staring at the blonde poignantly. "We've discussed this...at length. Is there a problem?" The brunette arched her brow. Things had been going so well, of course it a wrench would be thrown.

"N-no... I understand." Emma swallowed, tasting the bitterness of the lie in her mouth.

"I think you know better than to lie to me, dear." Regina drawled, still firmly planted in the middle of the path.

"I... I'm trying to understand." Emma stammered, residing somewhere between wanting to keep the brunette's approval, and wanting to make sure she didn't disappear under Regina's thumb. 

The brunette tilted her head, studying her girl. "You will, my Swan." Regina's full red lips pulled into a cat like smile, pulling the blonde along as they continued walking.

"Emma?" She asked after a few moments. "Earlier, in the carriage.. You didn't like it when I used my magic to disrobe you, did you?" 

Emma frowned, staring at the ground as they passed it by. She wondered if this was some sort of trick. "No, I... I hate it...Whenever you do it." She confessed, deciding she would rather be punished for the truth. Still, she couldn't help looking up to the brunette; gauging her reaction.

"Hmm. I see." Regina Why didn't you protest more, then? Or use your magic to bring them back?" Regina asked calmly.

"I... I wanted to...make you happy." Emma chewed her bottom lip. "Besides... I'm not supposed to use magic without... your permission." She wrinkled her nose.

"You would rather be uncomfortable than get punished again." It was uttered without question and tossed out frivolously by the older woman.

"I would rather be whipped again than have you hate me." Emma stopped in the middle of the path, refusing to move. Her eyes creased as she stared at the older woman, hurt by the comment.

"I did not whip you." Regina clarified. She rolled her eyes flippantly adding; "If you need to learn the difference, I'll be happy to teach you, Princess." It lacked the usual chill of Regina's genuine threats.

Then, as if something changed in the brunette, she pursed her full lips, looking at her girl seriously. "I wouldn't hate you over simply misbehaving, Emma. Punish you? Yes, of course. But hate you? Never, my Swan. Never betray me, and I could never hate you."

With her free hand, Regina cupped the girl's chin, her slender fingers gently holding Emma's gaze to her own. "I won't use my magic to undress you again. Not without your consent, Emma. I promise." It was spoken softly, apologetically. And, for the Queen's part, it was an apology. Regina expected the girl to give herself entirely, but she wanted Emma to want it too. She didn't want to hurt her Swan. Not really. Not when she was being such a good girl for her Queen. 

Emma licked her lips, not sure how to feel. "But you-"

"I can compromise." Regina replied. "Should we continue walking, or would you prefer to stand in the middle of the road?" Regina couldn't help the soft smile on her lips, nor the warmth bubbling up and spreading through her chest as Emma leaned against her as they walked.

"Did you finish the chapters I told you to read?" The older woman asked, letting go of the blonde's hand in favor of wrapping her arm around her Swan's small frame.

"I was in the middle of chapter forty." 

"Hmm." Regina hummed. "Then you haven't gotten to the ingredients yet."

"What are they?" Emma looked up at the woman, curious.

"Oh, you want me to do all the work?" The Queen teased. "You'll have to read for yourself, dear. But I think we can find one of them not far from the path."

"Can we look?" Emma perked up, interrupting the older woman. Reading about the theory of magic wasn't nearly as fun as practicing. 

"Come here." Regina guided the girl to the edge of the path. Holding Emma by the shoulders as she stepped behind her. "Do you know what foxglove looks like, my dear?" She asked against blonde locks.

"Yes..." Emma turned her head, meeting the older woman's deep, dark eyes gleaming with an excitement the blonde couldn't quite place. "Isn't it...poisonous?" Emma's brows pulled together; trying to put the pieces together.

"Very." Regina's eyes searched the girl's face. "What's wrong, Emma?" She stroked the blonde's face, noticing her Swan's unease.

"Nothing... I just... Why do we need poison?" 

"Magic, especially spells and curses are rarely rainbows and butterfly kisses, dear. Most often they require something a bit....darker." The Queen brought her other hand to the girl, gently cupping her face between her hands. "Are you having second thoughts?"

Emma hesitated, biting at the inside of her cheek. She couldn't imagine what good could come from cultivating a spell that required poison. Then again, only yesterday she had been determined to cast the darkest of all curses; surely it required more than a poisonous flower to bring it to life. It was naive and childish to think otherwise. More than anything, Emma wanted to prove to the older woman this fact. Despite her behavior yesterday, she wanted Regina to see she was capable and understood the harder facts of life. Clearing her throat, Emma finally spoke up. "No. No second thoughts. I want you to teach me, Regina. Please." 

The blonde was rewarded with a brilliant smile from the brunette. It was full, genuine, and unmistakably shining with pride. It was that last emotion that sent a warm jolt through Emma, causing her heart to flutter. That feeling she had sought from her parents, from Blue. For so long she had tried to make them proud, but had only ever been able to find worry, disapproval, the weight of unfulfilled promises and disappointment. Only with Regina, was she able to find the fulfillment she had searched for. Staring into warm brown eyes, Emma was reminded again that the Queen was so much more to her than any one thing, and she knew without a doubt that she would do anything for the woman. 

"You are my good girl, Em-ma." Regina whispered, her voice full of approval as she brushed her lips against the blonde's temple. And Regina meant it, Emma was quickly becoming her perfect little Swan, so much more than a pet or simply a companion. Even more than her ticket for revenge, Emma was her future. Regina could already picture her Swan at her side as they took back what belonged to them. Showing no mercy, they would rule over the kingdom and then the world understand true suffering. 

"I have so many plans for your future. Our future. Together." Regina added, stepping back enough to get look over the blonde, hands still cupping Emma's face. "You remember how to let your magic search for you?" The older woman asked. Fantasizing about the future would do little good if she didn't tend to the present. 

"You want me to use my magic?" Emma's brows rose in excitement. Despite Regina's assurances, she had worried it would be a while before she was allowed to practice her craft.

"I already told you, I'm not going to do all of the work for you." The Queen pretended to lecture. "Yes, Emma. I want you to use your magic." She added, smiling softly.

Emma returned the expression, smiling shyly as her cheeks tinted pink. "Alright," she shrugged, turning back around. Emma took a deep breath, closing her eyes. As she exhaled, she felt her magic swirling, pushing her minds eye forward as she looked for the brightly colored flowers. 

The girl's mind searched, running quickly through the thickness of the forest. She could feel the older woman, holding her shoulders, whispering encouragingly in her ear. Emma had only practiced this a few times, and she had to push her sight further than she had in the past. 

The blonde had become used to excelling at her craft. Emma's magic was strong, but she had gone untrained for so long, it could be stubborn or unpredictable. It was easy to mistake force for technique, and when a task proved to be more difficult than most, Emma became frustrated.

"I don't think there are any. " The blonde complained, wrinkling her nose.

"Emma, be patient and focus." Regina guided, body pressed against the blonde's back. "Pay attention to the details, it's not a race, take your time... You said you know what it looks like?"

"Everyone knows what it looks like." Emma snapped, allowing her frustration to get the better of her. If Regina knew where it was, why didn't she just point it out?

"Mind your tongue, Princess." Regina warned, tightening her grip on Emma's shoulders.

"I'm sorry." The blonde whispered, looking back at the Queen reverently. She really hadn't meant to get so testy, and she did know that the older woman was only trying to help her hone her craft.

"Indeed," the older woman arched her brow, then softened. " Turn around and focus again. Don't let your emotions control you, you control them, Emma." Regina advised. 

Emma sighed, closing her eyes and trying again. She slowed her mind's eye, taking in the blades of grass and wildflowers. She focused on the gentle sway of leaves from a light breeze, and a bee collecting pollen. Emma thought about the bell shaped flower she needed to find. She felt her magic tug, something calling her attention to the right. 

Emma turned, attempting to keep her magic at a steady flow; coexisting with her power. Her mind's eye become transfixed by a sycamore tree. It's leaves were full, a lush green that shimmered against the sunlight. Eye traveling down the trunk, inspecting the rough bark, ants crawling up through jagged crevices, until she reached the thick overgrowth at it's base. Among the tangle of weeds and thorns, Emma caught a vivid splash of fuchsia. She inspected further, focusing on the green stalks, belled petals hanging neatly in a row.

"Did you find it?" Regina asked, already knowing the answer.

Emma nodded, eyes still closed, a satisfied smile on her face.

"Well?" Regina prodded, bordering impatience. The brunette tugged a golden lock of hair when Emma didn't answer.

"Yes," the blonde whispered bubbling with excitement. Emma turned to the brunette, meeting warm dark eyes, so full of pride it made her stomach flutter.

"I knew you could do find it, Emma. You just need to be patient. Not everything comes easily, regardless of how strong your magic is." Regina gestured for the girl to come closer, wrapping her arms around the blonde. "I'm so proud of you, my Swan." The older woman cooed into blonde locks. And it was true, Regina was overwhelmed with a sense of pride in her girl. Not just for Emma. The older woman was proud of herself; the way she was training the girl, but also for finally making the right decision. 

Emma let her head rest against the woman's shoulder, her heart expanding in her chest from the praise. She couldn't help but think of the first time she had been transported with the Queen's magic. Running into the arms of the Evil Queen was the first decision Emma had ever made for herself, and right now, it seemed to be the best thing that had ever happened in her life. It was more than just being taught how to use her magic, or how to be a princess, or even the heights of ecstasy the woman brought to her body. Only with Regina had she ever been made to feel good about herself. Regina could be harsh, even a bit scary, and yes, she did have to answer to the Queen. But, maybe that was alright. 

And then the path they had walked moments ago was but a small line in the distance. As purple smoke settled around them, Regina released her hold on the girl, but Emma's arms remained about her waist. "What's wrong, Emma?' The brunette asked, tucking her index finger under the blonde's chin, she tilted the girl's head up.

"Nothing," Emma's bright green eyes met the Queen. "I was just thinking." She released her hold on the woman, letting her arms fall from the brunette's waist.

"Oh? Pray tell, dear." Regina's hand found the girl's, curling their fingers together.

Emma blushed, giving the older woman a sheepish grin, she shrugged before pushing her lips against the brunette's. She felt plump lips turn up in a smile against her own, pressing back and parting slightly. Soft lips against soft lips, and it was innocent and sweet, but it still sent Emma's heart racing. 

"Is that what you were thinking about?" Regina broke the kiss, nose to nose with her pretty Swan.

"No," Emma shook her head, a small smile on her lips. "I was just thinking...I...I'm glad that I came to your castle, and I'm glad that...that you didn't kill me." She muttered, feeling as if it was a lie, wanting to say so much more.

Regina's brows lifted, a soft laugh escaping her lips. "You always have such a way with words, dear." The brunette shook her head, then brushed her lips against the girl's temple. "I'm glad too, Emma." Her voice warm and soft. "Now, should we see about your foxglove?" She asked, stepping back, still holding the blonde's hand. 

"What does it do?" Emma asked, scrunching her nose as she looked over at the beautiful flower. "I mean...other than being poisonous."

"Well, it's visually pleasing, but we won't be using it for that." The older woman explained, walking towards the flower, her Swan following behind her. "Properly used, it slows down one's heartbeat, forcing an almost paralyzed state."

The girl's eyes went wide, she stopped a few feet from the dangerous plant. "Regina...?"

"Do you trust me, Emma?" Regina arched her brow quizzically.

Emma swallowed, debating once again. "Yes, I do. But...you won't tell me what we're going to use it for."

"That would spoil everything. You either trust me, or you don't." The older woman folded her arms over her chest, looking rather bored, as if she didn't care either way.

Emma hesitated, for just a moment. Looking up at Regina, all trepidation melted away. She did trust Regina, and she wanted to show the older woman that she could handle this. And she wanted to make the brunette proud. "I do trust you." Emma said firmly, eyes locked with the Queens. "I'm sorry. I trust you, Regina." She said again, walking over to the older woman.

"Very good, my Swan." Regina praised, giving another brilliant smile. She reminded herself to be firm but patient with her Swan, Emma was coming around so nicely, and soon they would both be the better for it. "You will want to use these," The older woman opened her hand, displaying a pair of golden shears, gleaming under the sun.

Cautiously, Emma took the scissors from the woman's palm, noticing how heavy they felt in her hand. Slipping her fingers into them, she glanced down at the plant, wondering what on earth Regina had planned and if she was making the right decision this time. Emma inhaled, pushing these doubts from her mind. Regina was right, life wasn't just warm hugs and butterfly kisses. Maybe if she showed the brunette that she really did trust her, showed her that she was mature and capable of these sort of things...maybe Regina would be more comfortable sharing herself. Maybe she would be able to trust Emma.

"Cut as close to the base as you can." The older woman instructed as her girl knelt beside the flower. 

Emma nodded, letting her left hand hold the fuzzy stem as her right hand used the shears to snip as close to the ground as possible. She looked up at the older woman once she had completed the task, no longer concerned about what the vibrant flower might be used for. Emma couldn't concern herself with those thoughts, not when she saw how pleased she had made her Queen. Whatever the consequences were, they didn't matter anymore.


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not even sure how to start this, it's been so long. Much longer than I intended. I've missed you guys dearly, and I'm so sorry it's taken me so long to get this chapter done. I went through some really big things in my personal life recently, which made it very difficult to write. A move, the end of a very long term relationship, another move.... But I'm gaining some footing now and I hope to be more frequent with my updates. Thank you for your patience, I'm sorry it took so long. Much Love!!
> 
>  
> 
> ************************************************

That's enough, Emma." Regina broke the silence as the carriage trudged along up a winding hillside. She ran her thin fingers across the leather bound book sitting in the girl's lap, she closed the pages together. 

"What?" Emma furrowed her brow, snapping her head up to look at the older woman. After snipping the foxglove Regina's motherly glow of pride had been contagious; piquing Emma's desire and curiosity in the ingredients needed. Upon returning to the carriage, she had set to devouring the remaining chapters, hoping to find the recipe that the Queen had alluded to.

"I thought you wanted me to read it, I'm almost done. Finally." Emma argued, rolling her eyes. A trait the older woman hadn't noticed before, and despite the lack of respect in the action, Regina couldn't surpress an amused smile.

"Yes, and we're almost to my hunting lodge." Regina pursed her lips, nudging the blonde as she pointed to the window. 

Truthfully, the fact that they were approaching their destination had nothing to do with Regina's desire to keep Emma from reading the rest of the chapter. A part of her couldn't wait for the girl to find the pieces of the puzzle that would be her surprise. The brunette anticipated that Emma would initially be against gathering some of the ingredients, possibly disgusted. And Regina was anxious to find out just how quickly she could convince her Swan otherwise. But, the Queen thought, perhaps her girl needed a bit more gentle coaxing before they crossed that bridge. 

"It's very.. " Emma started, peering out the window as the lodge came into view; demanding her full attention. The large structure loomed over them, residing on a carefully manicured hill top. Appropriately, dark clouds gathered above the lodge, casting distorted shadows against the sharp corners of the structure. 

"It's very..." Emma turned back to the older woman, searching for the right word. "Imposing," she settled on the word.

Regina arched her brow, "As it should be." The corner of her full lips tugged upwards; half amused, entirely smug. 

"It's named Tenebris for a reason, my dear." The Queen purred, curling her fingers together and caressing the back of her hand against the blonde's instantly flushed cheek. "You'll have plenty of time to finish reading later."

"Do you stay here often?" Emma asked, momentarily disinterested with the Queen's spell book. 

Regina's brows pulled together, a slight wrinkle crossed her forehead as an odd expression covered her face.

"No." The brunette pursed her lips, looking out the window, yet not looking at all. "No. Not anymore. Not for a long time." She turned her head back to the blonde, shaking her head and then smiling. 

"But, things are changing. Aren't they my Swan?" The Queen asked rhetorically. Things were changing, and to Regina's delight, they were finally changing in her favor. Yet, as delighted as she was, the older woman knew she couldn't depend on fate. The Queen refused to become indulgent of her happiness, for fear that without a watchful eye it would be snatched from her grasp.

"They are?" Emma asked hoarsely, raising her brows around wide eyes. Sometimes it was if she had always known Regina, and other times she was reminded how very little she knew about the Queen. Her grandfather's second wife. Her mother's stepmother. The woman she had run from her entire life. The Evil Queen. Regina, her Queen. 

Emma wanted to know the thoughts that crossed the woman's mind and darkened her eyes, only to be quickly suppressed by the brunette. She wanted to know what had caused Regina to wake that afternoon in such a panic. The older woman was a puzzle, with pieces that often proved dangerous in uncovering. 

"You know my plans." Regina spoke as if she reminded the blonde that the sky was blue. 

"Your revenge-"

"Our revenge." The older woman corrected, dragging out her words pointedly. 

"Our revenge. Emma repeated, adding; "Taking back the kingdom."

"Yes, we take back the kingdom. Our kingdom. But it's more than that. I know it doesn't seem that important to you right now. You were never taught the importance of ruling." Regina paused, running her fingers through blonde curls, gently twirling the tendrils. "But, one day you will, Emma."

The blonde felt her brows draw, even as she tried keeping her expression neutral. Emma didn't entirely hate the idea of helping Regina take back what the brunette had already sacrificed so much for. She wouldn't allow her parents to be harmed, but the more she found out about the brunette, the more the girl began to side with the Queen. Even so, Emma highly doubted she would ever delight in the task the way the older woman did.

"However, your very own little revenge is in my plans too. I won't have you feeling empty handed in the meantime." Regina ran her tongue against the roof of her mouth, a slight smile tugging at the corners of her mouth as she watched her Swan's face. 

Emma's brows laced closer together, the look of skepticism quickly fading into curiosity. The girl tilted her head, locking eyes with the older woman. 

"What.... What do you mean, my revenge?" Emma asked slowly, a tingle running down her spine. Her mouth felt suddenly dry; excitement and trepidation running through her. 

Regina bared her perfect white teeth; "I fear I've already given away too much." The older woman teased with mock regret. "I don't want to spoil your surprise, dear." 

"My surprise is revenge." Emma looked away, speaking as if to herself. Her thoughts raced, colliding with one another until a confusing tangle of opposite emotions formed. 

"Isn't that what you wanted last night, Em-ma?" Regina purred, gently winding the golden locks around her fingers. "You were afraid that once I got what was owed to me, I would forget about the wrongs done against you." 

Emma looked up at the Queen, her lips parted slightly. The brunette stared back at her, a small smile on her pursed lips as her brow raised quizzically. Regina was right, and Emma knew that, even if the woman was only half right. And honestly, the girl knew she shouldn't be surprised, it was the Evil Queen after all. The girl's mind went back to the night with that awful maid, the rush of power coursing through her veins. That incredible high Regina had helped her achieve. 

"What sort of revenge? On who?" The blonde blurted, her thoughts getting ahead of her. A week ago Emma would have been disturbed by her curiosity, her excitement and eagerness. Neither of which she realized, could be entirely blamed on a desire to please her Queen. 

Regina snickered, running her finger beneath the girl's chin. "All in good time, my Swan."

Emma furrowed her brow, frustrated with the mere tidbits the Queen fed to her. "But-"

"The carriage is slowing, Emma. We have plenty of time to discuss such matters, later."

*************************************

Despite being a good bit smaller than the Queen's castle, Tenebris Manor remained just as foreboding as it's larger counterpart.  
Upon arriving Regina halted any talk of her Swan's surprise, which didn't take all that much effort. Emma was visibly disappointed and the girl had pressed on a bit, however, the manor quickly captured the blonde's focus. 

The architecture was grand, and it was far different than what she was accustomed to before meeting the Queen. But, that wasn't why it held Emma's attention. Tenebris Manor, had been built by Regina, for Regina. Like everything else, the manor would surely reveal something about the brunette; another piece of the puzzle. As curious as Emma was about her mysterious surprise, she was twice as curious about the Queen. 

Emma had been guided by the older woman down the corridors. Regina had shown her to the study, the banquet hall, the drawing room, and even to the well manicured path in the garden behind the manor. Large, lush bushes were carefully trimmed and preened, apple trees dotted the outskirts of the landscape. Off to the side Emma spotted the stone statue of a troll. 

"What's this?" Emma interrupted the woman's guided tour, walking over to the odd statue. It wasn't pretty, or even particularly menacing. She didn't quite understand why the brunette would own such a curious piece. 

Regina's face contorted; her brows furrowed as a line marked her forehead. Tilting her head, she suddenly wondered what the harm was. Her Swan was always quick to see past what others simply saw as evil. And perhaps this was a teachable moment

Emma watched as the Queen's features changed. The brunette's face marked with annoyance and worry, then quickly softening, a small smile on her lips as she strolled over to the statue. 

"This, my dear Emma, is what happens when I'm disrespected." Regina caressed the face of the ugly statue, her smile widening as she looked back at the girl. 

"You turned him to stone?" Emma asked, taking a step back. It was wrong, she knew that. Her mother would be appalled. She could hear Snow's voice in her mind, berating the Queen for such vile actions. Still, there was an ever growing part of her that found it quite intriguing, impressive even. 

"Come here," Regina laughed, darting her hand out and grasping the blonde's wrist. "Don't be afraid of power, Emma." She cooed, pulling the girl next to her. 

"What did he do?" Emma looked up at the older woman, an ever growing trace of wonderment in her eyes that did not go unnoticed by the Queen. 

"I told you; he disrespected me. I think you know that I don't tolerate insolence." Regina stared into wide green eyes, having the sudden urge to catch her breath. She still wasn't accustomed to the way Emma looked at her; so full of reverance and a willingness to understand. 

"It was before you were born," Regina continued, surprising herself. "In the beginning stages of the dark curse. I thought I had collected all of the needed ingredients, but Ru-.... The man I originally acquired the curse from neglected to enlighten me on what exactly was required." 

"What was... required?" Emma asked, her heartbeat picking up as she felt incredibly close to uncovering another puzzle piece about the mysterious Queen. 

"That's not part of this story." Regina snapped. Warm, brown eyes becoming dark and clouded, she began wondering why she had even bothered reminiscing with the blonde to begin with. But then Regina noticed the way her Swan shrank back, blinking, and looking up at her with that hurt look in her eye. A look the Queen realized she almost couldn't bare witnessing.

"I'm sorry..." Emma mumbled, kicking herself for interrupting.

Regina pulled the blonde back into her embrace. "Do try not to interrogate. Can you manage that?"

"Yes," the blonde nodded, relaxing against the soft curves of the brunette's body. Emma hardly thought that asking one question proved to be an interrogation. But, she did want Regina to continue, and if that was to happen she would have to play by the Queen's rules. 

"So, what...what happened?" Emma pushed cautiously when the older woman remained silent. "How did he disrespect you?" She added, gesturing to the stone sculpture.

"He mocked me when I.... failed." Regina admitted, her eyes creasing into thin creases as she stared the statue down. 

The girl's brows pulled together, as she tilted her head. "You tried to cast it?" This was the first Emma had heard about Regina unsuccessfully casting the curse. If the older woman had attempted it, only to fail...how did she know she could cast the curse for sure?

"Indeed." The brunette nodded, a familiar far away look in her eyes. "I told you, the ingredients were... Not as I had been led to believe." 

"And he...disrespected you?"

"He doubted me, mocked me. In front of my face, and others no less." The older woman curled her fist, speaking passionately of the crimes against her. 

"So you turned him to stone?" 

"I made an example out of him." Regina corrected, gliding her hand over the blonde's creamy complexion. Gently grasping Emma's chin, she closed the space between them until the two were nose to nose. 

"Do you know why I did that, Em-ma?" The older woman drawled, arching her perfect brow. 

"Because.." The blonde licked her lips. "Because he trespassed against you... And...he tried to make you appear weak?" 

Emma was rewarded with a brilliant smile that reached up into the Queen's eyes, making the brown orbs soft and warm. 

"You're such a smart girl. I'm so very proud of you, my Swan." Regina praised, no less proud than a mother witnessing her child take a first step. 

Emma couldn't help beaming under the older woman's gaze, warmth spreading though her chest down to her abdomen. Closing her eyes she let her body take over. Pressing her lips against Regina's; she felt plump, full lips hum approvingly, parting slightly. 

Regina ran her tongue along the blonde's pretty lips. She nipped gently at Emma's bottom lip before pulling away, smiling as she heard the soft yip from her Swan. 

"You can never allow some one to make you appear weak. If someone pushes you, Emma, you push back. You crush them." The Queen lectured, her lip curling back as she studied her receptive, little Princess. 

Emma couldn't seem to part her eyes from the brunette's, understanding that this was more than a retelling of the past. This was a lesson, and Regina was teaching her well. She could feel herself becoming stronger with every moment spent with the Queen. 

"How?" Emma heard herself ask. 

Another soft smile that made the older woman's eyes crease at the side and her nose wrinkle in the smallest of ways. 

"That's what I'm going to teach you, my Swan." Regina promised, taking the blonde's hand in her own and turning back to the manor. 

"Will you tell me what you've planned?" Emma asked, not ready to let go of the topic just yet. 

"So eager, my Princess." The older woman chuckled, walking with the girl at her side. "All in good time, Emma. Come along, I have something I want to show you."

*************************************

 

"I don't want to talk to them!" Emma protested, throwing her hands up in the air. The statement came out a bit louder than she had anticipated, ringing shrilly off the walls of the study.

Regina had led her back into the manor, down the stone corriders; dimly lit, the walls innately designed and carved. Passing the stone gargoyles gave Emma pause, wondering if there was more than met the eye. 

The Queen and Princess walked hand in hand into the large study in the heart of the manor. Not as large as the library at the castle, but it could still rival most. A lofty room with cathedral ceilings, and plush decor. A large wooden desk with a mapped, marble top sat towards the back, a single, onyx throne behind it. Bookshelves lined the walls, and darkly upholstered loungers filled the corners of the room. 

Emma soaked up each detail of the room. Surveying every book, every piece of furniture, each nook and cranny. Vaguely, she wondered what she was to be shown. It wasn't until Regina positioned the blonde in front of the ornate, silver framed mirror, that Emma understood, and began to protest. 

"Shhh." Regina soothed, patiently as she tucked a stray hair behind the girl's ear. "We won't be wasting any time speaking to your parents."

"Then, what are we doing?" Emma demanded indignantly, scrunching her nose as she stared at the brunette. 

"You're learning how to use the mirror, and we're getting information. Knowledge is power, Emma." Regina explained, wrapping an arm around the blonde's waist.

Reluctantly, Emma turned towards the mirror. Choosing, rather to focus on the way it felt to have the older woman pressed against her back. 

"Focus," Regina instructed. "Think about who you want to see."

"Well, who do I want to see?" Emma turned back, searching the older woman, expectantly.

"You tell me, dear." Regina purred, nodding her head towards the mirror. 

The blonde chewed her bottom lip, studying the Queen. Emma wondered who Regina wanted her to bring into the reflection, who she had in mind. Her mother, no doubt. But Emma had no desire to see Snow, and Regina had said it was her choice. Sighing, Emma turned back to the mirror, focusing on her target. 

The blonde shifted, clearing her throat as she felt her magic easily connect with the mirror. A tingle ran down Emma's spine as her magic bubbled forth. She held tightly to the surge of power, trying to maintain a steady even flow of energy. The smooth surface of the glass began to ripple; reflections becoming muddled and distorted. 

"Pull the image in, Emma. Just enough to see what you're looking for. Hold your magic steady, we're just observing today." The older woman instructed, whispering softly against golden strands. 

Emma did as she was told, focusing on the image before her. Emma had been searching for one, but as the image cleared three figures began to take form. Her stomach begun to turn, as she immediately, recognized the reflections. 

"Well done, Emma." Regina placed a hand on the girl's shoulder, the other around her waist. "It looks as if we have front row seats to the idiot committee. Which one had you been looking for?" 

"Just Blue," Emma mumbled, her stomach turning as the vision before her came into focus, the conversation between the trio hitting her ears.

Snow, Charming and Blue stood conspiratorially, surrounded by the forest walls. Emma could only assume her parents had sought Blue out after their disastrous conversation yesterday. It was the fairy's voice that fist came through. 

"Once we rescue her, we must wipe Emma's memory of the Evil Queen. Otherwise, even without her magic, she'll never truly be restored." Blue addressed the Charmings, but looked primarily at Snow, while David shifted uncomfortably. 

"All the better," Snow nodded her head in agreement. "The less she remembers her time with Regina, the better."

"Agreed," Blue began again, her head held high. "She'll never be the Savior if-"

"I'm not sure this is the right way to go about this situation." David tried to reason, rubbing the back of his neck. 

Both women spoke in unison, gaping at the man as if he suffered from a mental impairment.

"She's corrupted our daughter!" Snow cried out, her face distorted in outrage.

"I don't believe there is another option." Blue insisted superiorly, raising her chin while placing her hands on her waist. 

 

Emma turned her head towards the older woman, dread beginning to climb it's way up her spine, leaving cold spikes of fear as it invaded her senses. Beads of sweat gathering at Emma's temples and above her lip. Opening her mouth to speak, she found her throat dry, scartchy. Unable to form words, she stared at her Queen open mouthed. 

Regina knew things were changing, but she couldn't believe her luck. She had hoped, even expected, Emma would find the motivation to push her down the right path. But this was beyond what the brunette had let herself wish for. It seemed Snow was hell bent on running her daughter into the waiting arms of the so-called Evil Queen. 

"They're not going to touch a hair on your pretty head, my Swan." Regina reassured, noticing the fear creeping into wide green eyes. She turned Emma by the shoulders until the blonde's body faced her own. 

"We should go back to the castle." Emma expressed, chewing on her bottom lip. Swallowing, she forced down a sticky wave of panic, trying not to let it consume her. 

"We'll do no such thing. We aren't returning to the castle until you receive your present." The older woman stated firmly, but she held onto Emma's shoulders, massaging tense muscles tenderly.

"Regina, you heard them! Blue is going-"

"Emma, our plans haven't changed. This is all the more reason to continue. I assure you, Blue will be doing very little in the near future."

The blonde parted her lips, ready to argue, when realization began to dawn on her. The clues Regina had dropped about their adventure and this mysterious gift began to fit together.

"My present is revenge.." Emma mumbled softly, gazing at the Queen in awe. 

"Yes," Regina answered, tenderly holding her Swan's chin. "Now, we listen and find out as much as we can about this idiot plan of theirs." 

Emma nodded, taking a moment before turning back to the scene. She believed Regina, trusted her entirely. But she worried. What if the brunette wasn't as powerful as her confidence led one to believe. After all, Emma knew that her parents had captured Regina before. What if they could do it again? She was sure her parents wouldn't be so forgiving the next time they were able to imprison the Queen.


	29. Part 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for always being so wonderful. As always, I hope you enjoy, and I can't wait to hear your thoughts! Much love!
> 
>  
> 
> ************************************************

Emma silently seethed; watching as  her parents plotted with Blue.  The trio brainstormed on ways to separate their Savior from the Evil Queen.  She listened as her parents, her mother mostly, agreed, with child like naivety, to Blue's each and every  word.  Snow was adamant, along with the fairy, that Emma lose any memory of Regina.  It was discussed by the women, as Emma's father stood uncomfortably.  It seemed taking the girl's memories was the only way to undo the damage the Evil Queen had done.  Emma needed to forget magic, forget how Regina had turned her against her parents.  Snow couldn't undo the unspeakable acts that had no doubt transpired between her daughter and the Evil Queen, but perhaps she could erase it.  Blue was zealous, confident she could accomplish this, as well as successfully remove the trouble of magic, having figured out the failures of the first attempt.  Emma had to be the Savior.

Soon, the conversation turned.  What to do with a problem like the Evil Queen?  It seemed that no one had a tangible solution on how to go about imprisoning Regina, but there was little debate on what to do afterwards.  While it wasn't said aloud, it was clear that given the chance the Charmings and Blue both wanted to see an end to the Queen.

Emma's heart pounded against her chest, no longer hearing the idle chatter from the mirror.  Before meeting Regina, she would have been heart broken from over hearing the exchange, consumed with shame and self loathing.  But the Queen was right, things were changing.   Emma's blood boiled beneath her pale skin, her nerves twitching electrically.  

Regina cast her eyes away from the reflections, her gaze traveling over to her girl.  Frowning, she cleared her throat, gingerly pushing herself from the chaise.  The Queen found the conversation more amusing than bothersome; she was accustomed to people plotting her demise.  In fact, it would only make her revenge, her triumph so much sweeter.  But it was Emma's demeanor that troubled the older woman, she didn't want to repeat the events of the previous day.

"Emma..?"  Regina started as she approached the girl.  "Emma," she called out again, her voice more urgent.  When the brunette received no response, she waved her hand; causing the reflection to buckle as the image began to disperse. 

Emma blinked, her own reflection staring back at her, creamy skin now splotchy and red.  Spinning around, she locked eyes with the Queen, golden hair swishing in the air. 

"I hate her!" Emma growled through gritted teeth, her hands rolled into fists at her side.  "I hate Blue and I... I want her to pay for this.  For everything she's done!"

"And she will pay, dear.  I promise." Regina's brow creased, speaking softly as she closed the space between them.  She let her hand rest on the curve of the girl's waist before gently wrapping her arm around, tenderly she stroked the blonde's face with her free hand.  So very proud of her Swan's progress, she pressed full lips to the girl's temple. 

"How?"  Emma demanded, turning her head up towards the older woman.   Regina's embrace was warm and nurturing.  Emma had to fight against the urge to fall against the older woman and let things be, she was growing weary of never knowing her fate.

"Trust me, Emma.  Blue won't be a problem for you once we're through with her."  The Queen assured confidently. 

"Why won't you just tell me?"  The girl's brows pulled together in frustration.

"Emma, I know this is all very upsetting-"

"I'm not upset!" Emma insisted, tightening her fists, she backed away from the brunette's affections. 

"No?"  Regina arched her brow quizically, crossing her arms gracefully over her chest. 

"No.  I'm furious."  Emma said, then laughed, the sound echoing off the walls sharply. 

The Queen pursed her lips, brow wrinkling.  This had been what she wanted, she needed Emma to see things for what they were.  Really truly see them.  And she approved of the girl's anger, but something about her Swan's cold little laugh bothered the woman.  She wanted Emma on her side, but she didn't enjoy seeing the Princess upset.  She didn't like seeing her Swan hurt. 

"I'm angry, Regina!"  Emma stomped her foot, the hard toe of her boot sending a reverberating clang against stone walls.  "I want to know what we're going to do to make her pay for this   I'm tired of running, and I'm afraid-"

"Oh, my Swan," Regina cooed, feeling suddenly very warm. Uncrossing her arms she reached out, taking the girl's hand again.  She coaxed Emma back into her embrace. 

Emma didn't struggle, allowing the Queen to pull her close, hip to hip.  But she didn't respond quite as the older woman would have liked; remaining closer to rigid.

"You have nothing to fear.  You belong to me, and no one will hurt you.  Soon you'll see that, Emma." Regina comforted, trying to remain patient. 

"I'm not afraid for myself!"  Emma backed up, her hands resting around the brunette's waist.  "They've captured you before, Regina.  I know-"

"What do you know, Princess?"  The Queen asked cooly, her expression turning to stone.  A combination of panic and white hot anger blurred Regina's mind.  It was true, the Evil Queen had been bested by her pasty step daughter, a fact she wasn't fond of remembering.  

"You know how your mother had me stripped down to rags and thrown in the dungeon?  How she paraded me past the villagers?  On display for all to see?"  Regina wrapped her fingers around the blonde's chin, jerking Emma's head until she was forced to meet the woman's gaze.  "Do you know how she banished me from my own kingdom?"

"N-no... I...  mean...I don't know.."  Emma stammered, momentarily at a loss for words.  She knew her parents had captured the Queen at one point, before she was born.  But the story Emma had been told painted her mother to be quite generous and forgiving.  Not that she was surprised to find the truth to be otherwise, but the image of Regina degraded and humiliated was a hard one for her to stomach. 

Emma squinted her eyes, shaking her head free from the Queen's grasp. 

"Why aren't you worried, then?  You aren't doing anything to stop them!" Emma accused, allowing her anger at the thought get the best of her.

"You doubt me."  Regina stepped back as if burnt.  The fierce and confident facade wavering, fading for just a moment before the older woman schooled an icy expression over her features.

"You're dismissed, Emma."  Regina's expression remained composed, but her voice wavered, lacking the usual bite she was so well known for.  

"Regina, I'm-"

"I don't care!" The older woman yelled, her forehead creasing.  Closing her eyes, Regina counted to ten, she didn't intend to be so harsh with her Swan.  But she didn't appreciate being questioned or having her power doubted, especially not by the princess. 

"Go," the brunette breathed out, her voice softer.  "Wait in the garden, the huntsman will be there shortly to escort you on a walk."

"What...?  But.. I..  Regina-"  Emma fumbled, confused by the older woman.

"I said you're dismissed." Regina interrupted curtly. 

Emma's nostrils flared, staring the Queen down. A million arguments came to the blonde's mind, but she bit her tongue, too upset to trust herself. The punishment from last night suddenly fresh in her mind.

Regina watched as the blonde turned on her heel, marching through the heavy wooden doors of the study, a cloud of deeo blue smoke whisking the girl away.  Sighing, the older woman rubbed her temples.  Her Swan was mad at her, no doubt.  And perhaps the girl was right to be.  No, not entirely justified, but maybe Emma had a point.  Maybe she should take the threat against herself and Emma more seriously, even if it was only the plans of fools.  Fools, Emma had so graciously pointed out, that had gotten the best of her before. 

The brunette took little pleasure in recalling her failures, and she took even less pleasure in admitting she was wrong to dismiss her girl, to give into anger so quickly. Even if she was only admitting it to herself.  For now.  Her Swan was, after all, only worried for her.  More worried for her Queen than even herself.  Despite the turmoil surrounding them, this thought brought a soft, easy smile to the woman's lips.  Emma was hers, totally and completely, such a loyal little  princess.  And that was what Regina wanted.  If she let herself be honest, even for just a moment, it was what her heart had wanted for so very long.  And it had nothing to do with a loose lipped brat, or revenge.  It was a long forgotten melody, invading her senses and quieting her angry heart.  It was what had made her fall in love with a loley stable boy so many years ago.

Regina fell back into the chaise, the brief introspection leaving her exhausted.  The Evil Queen told herself she couldn't turn weak now, not when she was getting so close.   Her Swan was a good girl, a loyal disciple.  She could admit that she was fond of the pretty blonde, even cared for her.  But in no way did she love the princess, that ship had sailed long ago.  And Emma had no business loving her, she wasn't that cruel of a woman. 

Still, Emma was right to be worried.  Over confidence had done the older woman in before, and Regina had no desire to repeat the past.  She need not worry, but precaution was the best route to tread.  The brunette straightened her posture, running her hands down her corseted bodice, removing any wrinkles, real or imaginary, as she stood. 

The Queen had few allies and even less friends, but there was one person that she had been able to count on in the past.  Despite their fights and disagreements, despite some of the awful things she had done, there was one person she may be able to call on.  Regina stepped in front of the mirror, she would just have to find out.  

 

"It's only due to morbid curiosity that I dignify you with a response, your Majesty."  The woman's voice projected through the mirror before Regina actually saw the dragon woman.   Deadpan and dripping with sarcasm, Maleficent hadn't lost her touch, the brunette suppressed a smile.  It was good to hear the lizard's voice.

"That's no way to speak to a Queen."  Regina peered into the darkness; candles casting shodows, but there was no sign of the fair haired woman.   "Are you too afraid to show yourself, dear?  I suppose scales don't exactly help to maintain a youthful glow."  Regina mused, shrugging her shoulders as she flipped her hair back.  She had missed this; the back and forth, the one upmanship.  Steel sharpening steel.

"Are you a jester now, or have you finally gone mad?"  Maleficent asked dryly, feigning disinterest as her figure appeared out of the darkness.  Her hair wild and unkept, eyes smudge lined; the dragon looked exactly as she did the first time Regina met her. 

"I'm reclaiming my kingdom.  Have you become that much of a hermit, Mal."  The dark haired woman tutted, smirking as she shook her head.

"Hadn't heard."  The blonde crossed her arms.  "And your spying on me because...?  Now that your Queen, do you have nothing better to do?"

Regina cleared her throat, smoothing her dress out once more.  Sometimes the dragon made her feel as if she was still the girl that could barely muster enough power for a fireball.  "I said I was taking my kingdom back.  Have you gone deaf with age?" She recovered, resting her hands on her hips.

"I couldn't hear you over all that delusion.  You've been plotting revenge for years now.  What sad, failed attempt will I get to watch play out this time?  Do tell.."  Maleficent rolled her eyes.

"This time is different."  Regina growled, losing her cool exterior quicker than intended.  The Queen took a breath, looking down as she collected herself.

"This time is different because,"  the dark haired woman looked up.   "I'm taking back my kingdom with the Savior at my side."  A cat like smile stretched across Regina's face, full red lips outlining pearly white teeth.

 

*************************************

Emma materialized near the stone sculpture, dark blue smoke swirling around her.  As the mist cleared, she ran her fingers through her hair, trying to sort out the events of the day.   Emma wanted to be mad at Regina, but she couldn't get that hurt look on the older woman's face out of her mind.  Nor could she quiet her troubled thoughts; she worried simultaneously for herself as well as the Queen.   Being taken back by her parents, stripped of her memories and her magic, forced into a slot that just didn't fit, those were troubling thoughts.  But imagining Regina harmed, or worse, was a thought she couldn't bare.  

Emma shook her head, swallowing down the lump in her throat.  The girl looked around, no sign of the huntsman in sight, she sighed.  Why did she have to wait for him anyway?  Why did she have to do every little thing Regina demanded of her?  Sometimes the older woman's domenering pressence was comforting in an odd sort of way, other times it was down right infuriating.  Emma didn't want to be childish, and she didn't want to disappoint the Queen as she had the previous evening, but she also didn't want to be treated as if she was a child.  The blonde gave the grounds one last survey, looking for the huntsman's arrival, but saw nothing.  Regina certainly wouldn't wait around all day, neither would she. 

Emma turned, letting her hand glide across the gnome statue as she followed the stone pathway through the garden.  So lost in her thoughts, the girl failed to notice any of the scenery, or that she was traveling further and further from the garden. 

Emma reflected on all what she only barely understood.  A part of her still consumed with anger and worry over her parents and that wretched fairy, but more dominant were her thoughts of Regina.  She wondered what the woman truly planned, if there even was a solid plan.   Emma thought back to the discussion that took place the previous evening; Regina's dire experience being a Queen.  She replayed the awful way the older woman jolted from her nap in the carriage, wild eyed as if she had seen a ghost.  Emma wondered if there was any connection, or if she was just grasping at straws.  Certainly, a woman like Regina would have a plethora of memories to haunt her. 

Emma hadn't been given much time to reflect on it, but now she started to wonder why it was, that Regina required so much control.  Bossing her around was one thing, but now Regina reserved the right of her magic, of her body even.  Emma frowned, unsure of her own feelings.  She wasn't experienced in the intamcy between two people, but she didn't think what Regina demanded from her was normal, and she wasn't sure that she liked it.  But, she also wasn't sure that she didn't. 

"Well, what do we have here?" A high pitched voice called out gleefully.

Alarmed and shaken, Emma snapped her head towards the eerie voice.   In front of her she found a man of small build and stature.  He was wearing a cloak that made it difficult to see his face, but from what she saw, the man appeared to have an odd reptilian shine to his skin.

"Who are you?"  Emma asked softer than she would have liked.

"Who am I?  Well, dearie, you could say I'm a friend of the Queen's." The man smiled, sending off an alam in Emma's mind.

"No... You're not."  The girl blurted, somehow knowing the impish man was lying. 

A high pitched squeal came from the man.  "Perhaps not.  But we were once...kind of.  And maybe I could be a friend to you.  It looks as if you could use one."

"I'm fine, thank you." Emma began to retreat slowly, never letting the stranger out of her sight.  The small man continued to smile, his eyes dancing mischievously as Emma tried to find the path back to the manor. 

"It's getting dark isn't it?  And something tells me you're not supposed to be here, are you Emma?"

"How do you know my name?"

"I've known about you for a long time, dearie!"

"What?" Emma practically shrieked, feeling the hair at the back of her neck raise.

"How do you know who I am?" She asked again. 

"You're royalty, but more than that; you're the Savior-"

"I am not the Savior!" Emma insisted, rolling her fists.

"You can't run away from fate, Princess." The horrid man retorted in a sing song manner.

"Who are you?" The girl demanded, forceful this time. 

"Rumpelstiltskin," the man bowed dramatically.  "At your service, dearie."

"I... I don't need you..at my service." Emma stammered, looking around the woods once more. 

"You say this, but tell me, which way leads back to the lodge?  Will your Queen be upset if she has to come fetch you from the forest?"

Emma hesitated, chewing her lip.  Regina would indeed be upset to find her in the woods, furious was more accurate. She didn't like the strange man, every fiber in her body was on edge in his presence.  He was unnerving, and there was something menacing about him, despite his small stature.  Something dark and dangerous.  But Emma had no desire to be on the receiving end of Regina's temper; her backside still tender from her last punishment. 

"Which way is it, then?" She finally gave in. 

The imp giggled, a high pitch disturbing sound that sent a shiver down the girl's spine. 

"Excellent!"  Rumple drummed his fingers together, practically leaping towards the blonde.  "Right this way, Princess."  He began to lead the the path.

Emma followed, intentionally lagging a few feet behind.  The imp was odd, to say the least, she couldn't quite picture Regina keeping him in her company.  But it was true, she somehow knew this as a fact. 

"So, her majesty would be displeased to find her Swan wondering the woods alone."  Rumple stated smugly.

"I'm not Regina's pet." Emma growled, her face red.  She wondered how he knew the name Regina used for her.

"Is that what you call her?"  The man turned around, amused.

Emma squinted, her eyes creasing as she studied the man.  "Why wouldn't I?"

"Never mind me, dearie."  The imp danced along ahead.  "But tell me," Rumple stopped in his tracks, turning back around.  "Does the Queen...Regina," he rolled the 'R' dramatically.  "Does she allow her... You, to trapse around the forest unattended?"

"I'm not a prisoner." Emma spoke curtly, wondering if the Queen's wrath may have been preferable.

"Then it would be alright if I left you here?  You'd find your way back within a few hours.. And-"

"I was supposed to wait for an escort."  Emma blurted despite herself.  Knowing Regina's response if she came back so late would be much less pleasant than this.

"I see."  The man said without judgment.  "She keeps you under lock and key, does she?" He asked after a few steps.

"You never said how you knew Regina." Feeling her face flush, Emma redirected the conversation.

Rumple continued walking, leading the way, but giving no response.  Finally, he spoke up.  "What about a game?  I answer one of your questions, then you answer one of mine.  It will be great fun!"  The man giggled again. 

Emma furrowed her brow, debating.  She wasn't sure she wanted to answer the man's questions, but the opportunity to ask her own questions freely was too tempting.  Emma cleared her throat.

"Then tell me how you know Regina." The girl negotiated. 

"You could say I was a family friend.  A friend of her mother's."  He elaborated.

A friend of Regina's mother?  Emma wondered to herself.  Cora, who had killed Regina's true love, the woman that had taught her daughter love was weakness.  A thought suddenly dawned on the blonde. 

"Did you teach her magic?  Regina... are you the man that taught her?"  Emma asked excitedly.

"That's not how the game works, dearie.  It's your turn to answer a question.  Now, does the Queen keep you under lock and key?"  Rumple asked again, smirking.

"I... I answer to her." Emma decided on her words carefully. 

"I'll take that as a yes." 

"It's my turn," Emma glared at the man's back.  "Did you teach her magic?"

"Yes.  Is Regina teaching you magic?"  He asked without hesitation.

"Y-yes.." Emma didn't have time to think of a better response, her mind still reeling at discovering who Rumpelstiltskin was.   Regina hated him, although the woman had never spoken his name she had alluded to the man.  And she did not speak warmly of the imp.  Emma's internal alarms had gone off the moment she met the him, but she suddenly felt very guilty, as if in cahoots with the enemy.  Yet, if anyone knew the Queen it would surely be Rumpelstiltskin.

"Cat got your tongue, dearie?  Have you no more questions?" The man shook Emma from her thoughts. 

"What was she like before?  Before she became Queen?"

"Before she became Queen, or before she became the Evil Queen?"

"She's not evil."   Emma defended on instinct.

"There's at least an entire kingdom that would disagree with you.  Now, which one is it?"

"What was she like when she first married my... The king?" Emma asked carefully, refusing to use Regina's awful moniker.

"Angry... Moody.   Not the best of company if you ask me.  I can't say she's changed much."

Emma bit the inside of her cheek, trying to hold onto the insults she wanted to throw at the man.  Yes, Regina could be all of those things, but Emma knew her Queen was so much more than that.

"My turn!"  Rumple exclaimed, not giving the blonde a chance to catch up.  "Tell me what Snow White's daughter is doing apprenticing under the Evil Queen."

"Stop calling her that.  She's not evil... Isn't that what you wanted anyway?  To make her dark and horrible like you?"

"It's not your turn, dearie.  Answer the question."

"I... We're... She offered to help me control my magic."  It was the truth, maybe not the whole truth, but Emma knew better than to reveal all of Regina's plans.  She wouldn't make the same mistake her mother had.

"She offered to help you?  That was very charitable of her majesty.  And your parents just willingly shipped you off, eh?"

"It's my turn.  Tell me about the dark curse."

"That's not a question."

Emma sighed, putting her thoughts together.  "Can she cast it?" The girl finally asked.

"Yes, and no."  Rumple answered vaguely.

"That's not an answer." Emma whined.

"You didn't phrase the question correctly."

"Is she capable of casting it?"  The blonde finally asked.

Rumple laughed.  "Yes, and no, dearie.   "I gave you an extra chance, now it's my turn.  How did you come to be with the Queen?"

"I ran away."

"To Regina?  What an odd choice."

"Why can't she cast the curse?  Is she not powerful enough?"

"Regina is fairly good at math, maybe you can ask her to skip a magic lesson in order to hone your math skills.  That was two questions."

"Why can't she cast the curse?"  Emma tried again.

"Better.  She doesn't have the ingredients."

"That's not true." Emma defended, although she got the feeling that the imp wasn't lying.  Maybe he was misinformed, she thought. 

"It is true.  Why are you so interested in the dark curse?"

"I just am."

"Not an answer."

"I want to... I want to know that we... That she....could use it if need be." Emma confessed.  She had lost some of the obsession over using the curse; she trusted Regina and didn't see it as a necessary form of revenge.  But the plans between Blue and her parents were enough to send her looking for an exit strategy.

"Could I cast it?"  Emma finally asked. 

Rumple stopped, looking the blonde up and down curiously.  "I'm not sure.  You're clearly still a novice, you would have to learn quite a bit more...  What do you really want with the curse?"

Emma chewed her lip, debating how much to reveal.  "An escape route." She finally divulged.

Rumpelstiltskin giggled again.  "The dark curse is just that....dark.  You would have to do some unpleasant, and rather despicable things in order to cast it.  I doubt you're capable of that.  It's not something one would use to simply run off, anyway."

"I'm not running away," Emma growled, letting her temper get the best of her.  "My parents are trying to strip my magic and kill Regina." She blurted, realizing too late. 

To the girl's surprise the imp seemed impassive on the revelation, as if he knew the troubles that were plaguing the blonde. 

"Stripping your magic would be quite a foolish endeavor."  Rumple murmured, mostly to himself, then turned his head back as he continued to lead the girl.  "Tell me, how long have you been in love with Regina?"

"I'm not.  Love is weakness, and I'm not weak."  Emma said, flinching inwardly as she repeated what the older woman had taught her.  It somehow hurt to say aloud.

Rumple laughed, high pitched and irritating.  Grating on Emma's nerves and making her hate this silly game.

"Her majesty must be proud to have such a dedicated student."  The imp replied dryly.  "What else has she taught you?"

"I... I don't know if that's any of your business."

"Oh, but we've been having such fun.  Come on.. I'm sure you have more questions for me, just show me something."

Emma shifted, chewing the side of her cheek.  She did have more questions... So many more.  But she didn't trust this odd man, not to mention Regina's rule about using magic.

"I... I'm not supposed to.."

"Ah, so the Evil Queen bound your magic."

"No." Emma answered offended.  Regina may have threatened binding her magic, but she didn't think the Queen would ever go through with that.  Not to her at least.  Regina trusted her. 

For once during this strange meeting, Emma sensed the imp's surprise.  The man stopped, eyeing her up and down before his lips stretched thinly, exposing crooked teeth.  An unsettling smile, that forced a chill over the girl's skin.

"If she hasn't bound your magic, then you can still use it, dearie."

"I promised her-"

"Don't you want to help your queen?"

"Of course!"  Emma furrowed her brow, becoming defensive.  "But, I don't see how disobey... How breaking her trust is helping her."

"Regina's only going to teach you what she wants to teach you.  If you want to become powerful enough to help her.... Well, that's going to require some initiative on your part, Princess."

"You don't think she wants me to become powerful?" Emma asked, rather smug.  Maybe she knew Regina better than she thought after all.  The older woman was committed to cultivating her power, Emma knew this.

"She doesn't want you to become more powerful than herself."  Rumple corrected.  

"And you...?  You want me to run off and study under you?"

Rumple laughed, throwing his head back.  "Certainly not!"  He said, catching his breath.  "I have no use for a Princess.  But, despite everything, I would hate to see Regina executed."

Emma gasped, her lips parting to let out the smallest of whimpers.  Having her fears realized aloud, and so certainly made her heart drop into her stomach; throbbing painfully. 

"You really think...?  But Regina's so powerful.."

"Haven't you already thought it yourself, dearie?  Isn't that why you're still standing here with me?  The lodge is just up this hill, I'm sure you can see it from here.  If you don't suspect the same thing...run home to your Queen." Rumple smiled, waving his hand grandly in the direction of Tenebris Manor.

Emma's eyes traveled up the hill.  The man was right, she could see the lodge just a short distance away.  Within minutes she would be back inside the walls, safe with Regina.  But for how long?  Until her parents put together a strong enough plan?  Wasn't it just a matter of time?  It seemed she had traded running from the Evil Queen for running from her parents.  But now there was more at stake than her own life, and Emma was tired of running.  She was ready to fight. 

"I show you something Regina's taught me...then what?" She asked suspiciously.

"Then I decide if you're worth my time, or if your just a weakling that happens to have a little magic."

"I'm not weak!" Emma said  through gritted teeth, curling and uncurling her fist.  She noticed the small smile on the man's lips, curious and condescending.

"Hmmm.  It seems you may have some potential after all," the man mused, tilting his head.  "Look at your hand, Princess." He remarked casually.

Emma glanced down.  A bright round orb of fire glowed warmly in her right palm.  Having manifested itself in her anger, quickly the girl curled her fingers, extinguishing the fire.   Before she could respond there was a rustling of grass, twigs breaking underfoot.

"Your highness," a man's voice called out, harsh and full of worry. 

Both Rumple and Emma snapped their heads to the right; discovering the Huntsman as he came around the bend of the trail.  His eyes forever broody, now bore into Emma determinedly.   Too stunned and feeling terribly guilty, she could only stare in wide eyed terror at the tan haired man.  A million scenarios played through Emma's mind as she imagined explaining this to Regina.  The blonde didn't favor any of them.

"Step away from her, dark-" the man froze before he could finish, staring off into space, his brow still wrinkled, his mouth waiting to threaten the imp.  

Emma had been so focused on thoughts of the Queen's anger she hadn't noticed Rumpelstiltskin wave his hand, effortlessly halting the Huntsman in place. 

"What...?"  The blonde turned to the strange man, completely in awe. 

"It's good to have friends isn't it, Emma?"  Rumple giggled.   "Go on towards the manor.  Go to your Queen."

"But... What about protecting Regina?  What about him?"  Emma asked, waving her hands; frantic and beside herself with confusion.

"Don't worry, this will be our secret.  He'll join you up the hill in a few moments, and the Queen will be none the wiser.  You'll see me again, dearie."

"But.." Emma stalled, not yet done with their exchange.  "You owe me an answer." She demanded.

The imp tilted his head, smiling curiously.   "What is it then, Princess?"

Emma thought of the questions she had just asked, but decided on something else entirely.

"Why...why did she love him so much?  Daniel, what made Regina love him?"

Rumple studied the girl for a few moments, long enough to make Emma shift uncomfortably.

"Love is one of those things.  You don't control it, it controls you.  It sneaks up on you when you least expect it.  No bother if you want it to or not."  The man finished, looking off rather thoughtfully before turning back to the girl.

"Now, go!"  Rumple ordered harshly enough to send Emma stepping backwards.


	30. Chapter 30

Arriving back to the manor, Emma's nerves proved difficult to control. As promised, the huntsman remembered nothing of stumbling upon her meeting with the imp, nor did he recall Emma leaving without his escort. As far as the man knew, the princess and he walked the path until just before dusk, returning the Queen's girl to the manor safely. 

Emma had expected Regina to greet her once she returned to the castle, expected to see the Queen, hands on her hips, a knowing look on her face. The girl choked at the mere thought, dread cooling her blood. The huntsman may have been easily fooled, but not the brunette. Instead, upon returning, Regina was nowhere in sight, and the Princess was simply instructed to pay visit to the Queen in the woman’s bedchamber.

The large corridors glowed a dusty pink, illuminated by the flickering candlelight and the soft glow of the setting sun. Emma walked briskly, the rhythmic clank of her footsteps bouncing off the walls as she wondered how she would find Regina. She assumed it as fact that the Queen would know, at least sense what had been done. Of course, it was odd that the woman hadn’t met her in the garden, full of fury. But there wasn’t much time to debate this, as the girl approached the formidable door to the Queen’s bedchamber.

“Come in." Regina answered warmly, a small smile on her lips at hearing the soft knock against her door. Waving her index finger, she forced the doors open from her seat on the over stuffed chaise. She knew it was her Swan, before the girl even knocked, she knew. It was a quiet sigh of relief resting in her mind, a settling of nerves just under flesh.

“I need to speak with you," the brunette's smile tightened as she watched the girl step timidly through the threshold. Regina's brow furrowed as she studied the blonde, her red lips pursing to a thin line. 

Emma raised her brows timidly, her eyes roaming the older woman's face as she tried to gauge the energy in the room. The Queen appeared somber, but rather placid. At least not dangerous. Still, Emma's heart beat against her chest as she walked towards the brunette, barely noticing the large spread of food displayed on the table near the window.

The Princess was all too aware that Regina could very well know about everything that had transpired between herself and the imp. In fact, it was nearly impossible to believe that the woman didn't know. Emma thought, perhaps the Queen was testing her loyalty. Perhaps Regina was waiting for an admission of guilt, waiting to see if she would reveal the betrayal.

Emma's heart restricted as if sharply squeezed, a chill spreading through her veins. It wasn't yet a betrayal, but it soon would be. She should tell the Queen about the meeting with the imp. She belonged to Regina, and the woman deserved to know. She would want to know. Keeping secrets was against the rules, as well as using magic without Regina's permission. Two strikes against her already. And Emma wanted to tell her, had a sudden clawing urge to tell her Queen. There was a finite amount of time in which she could confess before it was too late. Before she truly betrayed the Queen. 

Yet, something held Emma back from revealing the truth. The promise of getting to understand the Queen? No, not the Queen, it was Regina that the girl wanted to know. That knowledge... and the power to be confident she could protect herself, as well as the older woman remained alluring enough to give the girl pause.  
Emma chewed her lip, debating, as she continued across the room towards the Queen.

Perhaps, the blonde was upset with the way in which she had been dismissed? Regina thought to herself, crossing her arms uncomfortably. The thought just didn't seem to sit well. She had punished the girl using a strap just the previous night. Surely, Emma wasn't sour over being sent on a walk of the grounds. Then again, interactions with the Charmings never sat well with her Swan, and this one had brought on some particularly unpleasant news for Emma. But that had been the point, Regina reminded herself. She needed the girl receptive for her next lesson.

"What...What do you want to talk about?" Emma asked cautiously. Had it not been for the imp the Princess may have been irritated, needing to talk was quite the understatement. But Rumpelstiltskin was on her mind, and more than that; the Queen's wrath. A part of her mind begged to tell the truth. If Regina didn't yet know, she soon would, and Emma knew confessing would earn more favor than being found out.

“You want to know the plan. Yes?" Regina asked wrapping her index finger around golden tendrils. Squinting her eyes, the woman tilted her head, as if to see the girl from all angles. Puckering her lips, Regina tried to put her finger on the cause of her Swan's curious behavior. There was something different about the girl, the woman just couldn't quite pinpoint it.

“Or are you holding a grunge because I sent you for a walk?" Regina arched her brow disapprovingly. Her voice silk and gravel, invading Emma's senses and forcing her out of her thoughts.

"You're not angry at me?" Emma blurted, tilting her head in surprise. Was it possible that Regina really didn't know?

“No..." Regina's demeanor softened, using her free hand to caress the blonde's flushed cheek, her other hand still tangled in the unruly mane. 

“Always so eager to please your queen," the woman purred softly. 

The knots in Emma's stomach constricted painfully. She did so want to please the older woman. Even the part of her that held desperately tight to her sins wanted to please Regina.

The girl reminded herself, it wasn't yet too late. She could tell Regina right now. She may be punished for abandoning her escort and not coming clean right away, but her guilt would be dispersed and Regina would forgive her. Then again, what if she needed Rumple's help? And, Emma told herself, she really was just doing it to protect Regina. She was doing it for her Queen. That didn't truly make it a betrayal... did it?

"I thought you were angry with me. I thought that was why you sent me away." Emma stated, straightening her shoulders as she tried to believe in her decision.  
"I was upset with the situation, dear. Not you." Regina sighed, only now realizing she had been holding her breath. Which was a matter the Queen did not possess the patience nor time to examine. Instead, Regina celebrated what a perfect little Swan Emma was blossoming into.

"And you were right, Emma. This is a serious situation." Regina led her girl towards the chaise. "A situation that must be handled delicately. Which, my dear, is what we need to talk about."

Emma's brow creased as she watched the older woman take a seat . Graceful as always, the Queen perched, cat like on the lounger. Draping one hand over the arm, Regina looked up at the blonde expectantly.

“Are you hungry?" The brunette asked abruptly. “If you are, I suggest you eat now. You may find some of this.....unpleasant." Regina's lip curled as she uttered the word.

“No... I'm not hungry. What...what is it we are going to do?" Emma wrinkled her nose, her voice hushed conspiratorially. Regina's statement making her momentarily forget about the imp and her increasing betrayal; appalled and enchanted at once. 

The corner of Regina's red lips tugged into a small smile. The woman noticed that gleam in the blonde's dewy eyes; a certain glow the woman knew all too well. It was the way Emma looked after putting that insolent maid in place. 

"I believe my Swan has had a little taste of power and found she quite favors it." The brunette purred approvingly. She patted the spot beside her; pride in her girl spreading warmly through her chest. 

The princess obeyed the unspoken command, taking her spot next to Regina. Emma tried to force herself to the present and put thoughts of the imp out of her mind. If the woman had a solid plan, Rumple may not even be necessary. If the imp wasn't needed.... Well it was only one encounter. And Emma told herself that if it didn't happen again, then there really wasn't any harm in keeping one secret. One tiny, chance encounter that didn't even matter. 

That was, she reminded herself, only if Regina didn't already know about the transgression. 

Emma cleared her throat, looking up at the dark haired woman. She wondered if it was just her own guilt that made her feel as if she was playing with fire. Regina stared back expectantly. But the woman's eyes lacked that unbridled fury, that electric charge of power and destruction Emma had witnessed on the few times she had disobeyed the Queen. 

"It's just," Emma started, deciding that her suspicious behavior would do her no favors. "It's just..I'm tired of.."

"Feeling powerless." The older woman finished for the   
girl. A knowing smile on the woman's face as she thought back to having that same feeling, so many years ago. A lifetime, really. Regina wanted to give Emma that power; make the world buckle and kneel to them, collect sweet revenge. But it wasn't that easy, the dark haired woman reminded herself. Emma's power grew every day, whether the princess knew it or not. Her Swan could easily become more powerful than herself in time, and the Queen had no intention of allowing that to happen.

"No... I mean, yes. I am tired of feeling powerless. But it's more than that, Regina." Emma looked down as she spoke, trying to gather and make sense of her own thoughts. 

"I know you're worried, Emma. But that's not your responsibility-"

"Of course it is!" Emma's nostrils flared as her head shot up. She met the woman's gaze determinedly, irritated with the patronizing way the woman spoke to her. She wasn't some silly little thing without a care in the world. Emma parted her lips to continue, but the Queen's icy glare sent her voice retreating, along with her courage.

"I will not tolerate that tone, or your interruptions." Regina spoke slowly, enunciating each word as her dark eyes pierced into the blonde. Emma clearly forgot her lessons and who was in charge so quickly. "I believe we went over this only yesterday."

"In case you've forgotten," the brunette continued as she took Emma by the chin, thin fingers grasping tightly around the soft flesh. "You. Belong. To. Me."

The statement was soft and overpowering at once, twisting and confusing Emma's already wild emotions.   
Regina leaned closer, her warm breath tickling the   
blonde's lips. Emma's chest jumping in her throat. She didn't want to fight the Queen, and she did want to fight her. The latter of the two emotions taking over, she moved to turn her head and release the woman's grasp, only to have the soft pads of Regina's fingers dig deeper into flesh. The woman snapped the girl's face back into place, and Emma wondered if that had been what she really wanted all along. 

"That makes you my responsibility, dear." Regina announced. Her voice softer as she released her hold on the blonde, turning her hand over to caress the girl's cheek.

"It's my responsibility to keep you safe," the older woman whispered in a way so loving it was unnerving in it's sharp contrast to her earlier statement. 

"Regina...?" Emma inquired hoarsely, her brows raised; pleadingly.

"Yes, my Swan?"

"But.. It's just... I want to help you. Really help you. I don't want to constantly depend on... on being saved."

"That sounds like a lot of Savior talk..." Regina drawled.

"Maybe it is, Regina." Emma frowned, her face drawn. "I do want to help you. Really help you, not just sit on the sidelines uselessly. What was it you said? Stand by your side?" The blonde finished, speaking passionately as she crossed her arms. It only took a few moments for Emma to evaluate the way she had spoken to Regina, her brows lacing into a rather sheepish expression.

Regina pursed her thick lips, staring intensely while remaining expressionless. Perhaps she was being too harsh. Emma wasn't trying to slight her, nor overpower her, the woman told herself. She had been working so hard, grooming the Princess into her loyal Swan. And wasn't that just what Emma was becoming? Wasn't she just eager to serve her Queen?

“Emma...." Regina started, her features softening. "Dark magic is different from summoning a fireball or reprimanding a lowly servant. Everything you've done up until now pales in comparison to what will be needed.... To what you will be learning." The brunette added, regaining her patience when she caught a glint of admiration in Emma's glance. 

“Tomorrow we will be making a stop that I hadn't entirely anticipated." Regina paused, inhaling. "I...we... need an ally. Just...just as a precaution." The older woman reached out, gently taking the blonde's hands into her own. Deep sienna meeting shining emerald.  
"Where are we going?" Emma practically whispered, wanting to ask about this ally of Regina's.

"A.... Well, I suppose you could say....an acquaintance of mine has agreed to assist us, should we need it." 

“Who..?” The blonde asked. Regina had alluded to having very few, if any friends, and what Emma had witnessed only seemed to prove this. She couldn’t help but wonder who this ally would be. And if the older woman was asking for help, maybe the predicament was worse than Emma had thought.

“But assist us in what?” The princess rolled her eyes, exhausted with the vague explanations, then paused, her pupils narrowing. “Are we going to war?" She added, her voice hushed.

“Is that what you want, my Swan?" Regina cocked her head to the side. “What about your dear parents? You wouldn't want to hurt them, would you?"

Emma's mouth went suddenly dry, her eyes shifting nervously until finally deciding on her lap. Chewing at her bottom lip, she turned the woman's question over in her mind. She wanted to be free from her parents expectations, wanted to ensure her Queen's safety, but the thought of actually causing harm to them... Emma wasn't confident that she was willing to cross that bridge. 

She wondered if Rumple could provide a solution that didn't involve harming her parents. Even backed into a corner as she was, Emma hoped she could both spare her parents and protect the older woman. Regina, her Queen.

Unprovoked, the blonde pictured what Regina had described of her capture; the woman shackled and filthy, disgraced and humiliated, paraded through the kingdom as a spectacle. Vulgar entertainment. This time would be worse. Much, much worse, she had no doubt.

As that terrible thought crossed her mind, Emma came to a chilling realization. She would do whatever needed to be done, in order to ensure the safety of the Queen. Even if it meant sacrificing her own life.... even if it meant the lives of her parents. She would exhaust every option. She would indulge the imp and keep their secret; hear him out. But if it came down to it, Emma knew she would do whatever it took.

Thankfully, to the blonde's relief, Regina shook her from this troubling epiphany. She felt her Queen cup her chin, coaxing it up ever so gently, until the two were eye to eye. A few heartbeats passed, and neither blinked, nor spoke a word. Finally, as Regina's thick, red lips curved into a smug smile, the Queen broke the silence.

"Whatever, are you thinking, my dear Em-ma?" The brunette purred. It wasn't a question. Emma didn't need to reveal her thoughts. The older woman could see the absolute loyalty gleaming in her Swan's eyes.

“Don't worry my Swan. I told you before; you're not yet ready for a war." Regina reassured, letting a hand glide through golden curls, smiling affectionately as the Princess leaned into her touch. It felt so natural, so unlike the responses of her former pets. But Emma wasn't a pet, a voice in the woman's head reprimanded. The girl wasn't quite an equal, and she did belonged to the Queen, but she wasn't a pet. 

Regina cleared her throat, wrapping the sand spun tendrils around her fingers. 

"However, I do believe there are some things you are ready to handle." The older woman wiggled her brows suggestively, releasing her hold on the blonde curls. Regina twirled her hand, extending it towards the girl as the spell book materialized in her palm. 

Emma's eyes went wide as she stretched her hand towards the book, only to be stopped mid reach.   
"Regina!" The blonde chastised as the brunette teasingly pulled the book back towards her chest, a smug smile tugging on her red lips. 

"Before I give this back to you, I want you to understand that power comes with responsibility. It's not always easy or pleasant. Sometimes...Emma, sometimes one must make...difficult decisions." Regina's face darkened, suddenly thinking of all the difficult decisions she had made in order to protect herself, ensure her own freedom. Most of which she could justify, but there was one in particular that weighed heavily on her conscious. An act the woman rarely allowed herself to reflect upon. Sacrifices had to be made, even if....

"Regina...? Emma piped up, noticing the melancholy change in the woman's demeanor. "What's wrong?"

And with that question, the mood was gone as quickly as it had come about. The older woman shook her head, forcing a smile and clearing her throat gingerly. 

"It's nothing, dear." Regina assured, her voice smaller than usual. She looked back down at the book, then finally extended it towards the princess. 

Eagerly, Emma snatched the book, her nerves rippling with anticipation. The girl flipped the pages, quickly finding what she had yet to read; a list of ingredients neatly written out in black ink. She scanned the page before truly reading them, suddenly weary.

"Go on, Emma. " The Queen encouraged, sensing her Swan's hesitation. "Once you understand what's required, I'll explain the rest." Regina held her breath, eye's never leaving the girl's face as she read.

Emma focused, letting the fire of the hearth illuminate the page, the book feeling heavier than she had remembered. The fist few ingredients appeared rather standard, even spotted them bottled on the shelves in Regina's secret chambers.

Red Spotted Toadstool   
Hair of Troll  
Hemlock Picked in Moonlight   
A Piece of Willow Bark Struck by the Lightening of a Summer Storm

As Emma read on, the ingredients became more unusual;

A Flake of Snow from the First of Winter  
A Thorn from a Lion's Paw  
Moss from the Darkest Cave  
A Lock of Hair from the Caster   
Spring Water Charged by Moonlight

Emma's eyes went wide as the list grew darker;

Wings of a Butterfly, fresh from the cocoon  
A Cry from a Newborn Babe  
The Song of Two Lovebirds   
The Heart of a Unicorn

The Princess gasped, snapping her head up and slamming the book shut.

"Regina!" Emma's voice went hoarse, her green eyes glistening as she stared, mouth a gape. Feeling both naive and horrified, she wondered if the older woman was truly serious. Protecting themselves was understandable, retaliating against those that wronged them even made sense. But hurting the innocent? Emma's stomach turned. She could handle the bulk of the ingredients, even the odd ones, but the last four, last three were especially..... unspeakable.

"Regina... these are..."

"The price of magic, my Swan." Regina cupped the girl's cheek, caressing up to her temple as slender fingers raked gently through golden hair. She spoke to Emma patiently, soft and understanding, as one would explain the harsh truths of the world to a girl; just on the cusp of womanhood.

"I know it's not pleasant. And believe me, despite what may be said about me, I take no joy in collecting some of these items." The woman paused, watching as the blonde studied her. Emma's eyes met the brunette's, seeming to plead with her; so unsure of which direction to go. Regina felt as if her Swan was looking for the guidance, afraid to cross that line on her own. 

“What’s your plan, Regina?” Emma finally asked, as if that could somehow make the awfulness of this task more justifiable.

Regina tilted her head, suppressing the smile that threatened to spread. “It's the same plan I've had all along, but now that your parents are involved…Well we don’t have the same element of surprise. But your revenge will help greatly in extinguishing whatever silly plans your mother and father have. You see Emma,” the older woman paused , licking her full lips before continuing.

“Without Blue, without her to lead the fairies in your parent’s aide… they'll be no match for us.” Regina finished, finally giving into the wide smile. 

“What…what are we doing with Blue?” Emma asked. Licking her lips, which were incredibly dry as a spike of excitement ran through her nerves and a pang of guilt bit at her insides.

“Whatever you wish to do with her, Em-ma. This spell will strip her of her magic, much as she tried to do to you. Without her power she’ll be at your mercy.” Regina watched as the girl’s eyes flicked around the room, and once again she wished she had the ability to read thoughts. If only just Emma’s. After a few heartbeats the brunette contact. Perhaps her girl needed just a bit more coaxing.

"So sweet, my Swan." The Queen cooed, wrapping her arm around the blonde's tiny waist. 

"I understand if you can't go through with it, Emma. I want you to get your revenge, I want you to feel that power.... but I can-"

"N-no..." Emma interrupted, glancing down at the closed book, shaking her head. "No, Regina. I said I wanted to help, I want to..to do this with you…by your side." The blonde swallowed, finally looking up at her Queen.

Regina had hoped, even wished for as much. Played it over and over again in her mind, but nothing compared to this. The older woman had thought she was prepared for any reaction. And she was, just not her own. Regina hadn't expected her heart to jump and beat so rapidly against her breasts, nor had she anticipated the tight knot in her stomach at the sight of her Swan. The blonde's face so full of reverence and determination; abject loyalty to her Queen.

"I meant what I said." Emma whispered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

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> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter. I'm sorry it took so long to update! As always I really, truly thank you for reading. I love to hear your thoughts, so feel free to review or comment! Thank you all again!


	31. Chapter 31

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey... I'm still here!! Finally, a new chapter. I'm so sorry it's taken so long to get this story updated. And I'm sorry to constantly be apologizing!!! I have been insanely busy, both with work and personal... And I don't often use this space to discuss personal business, but I thought this deserved to be acknowledged. I think AO3 is such a wonderful community and it will forever have a special place in my heart. 
> 
> Shortly after beginning this story, I began talking with a fellow Swan Queen shipper on here. She was following this story and offered insight, opinions, and my personal favorite... Compliments!! She's actually helped me with this story immensely. Anyway, to make a long story short, we talked more and more and less and less solely SQ based. Eventually realizing some very real, very wonderful feelings and an undeniable connection had formed between us... So, after many emails and long phone calls, we finally got to meet! And to say I'm pretty head over heels in love with this girl, would be a vast understatement! So, thank you AO3, thank you for bringing this wonderful person into my life. I am forever grateful. 
> 
> Between work, and trips to spend time on my very own ship, I haven't had the amount of time I usually do to spend on this story. But rest assured, I have no intention of abandoning The Queen and Her Swan. I really am sorry it's taken this long, and I thank you all that have stuck with me from the bottom of my heart. Hopefully the next update won't take nearly as long! Much love!! And I always love to hear what you think! Thanks for reading, and for letting me brag about how happy I am!
> 
> Can you believe I've been writing this for a year?
> 
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The carriage rolled down the winding path, nearing the dragon's lair. Regina could feel it before she even moved the velvet drape to the side, moonlight illuminating the stone structure in the distance. There was a time, long ago, when the brunette frequented the dragon's lair. She took a deep breath, trying to push sordid memories of the past away and settle her ever increasing nerves. The Queen had a troubling feeling that something was wrong, and more unsettling, she wasn't able to place name the cause of her nerves. Regina wracked her brain, finally telling herself it must be the upcoming meeting with Maleficent that had her so out of sorts. There was quite a lot of room for disaster in this alliance; her Swan was barely catching her footing, Regina didn't want any hard work jeopardized because of a bad influence. Still, this explanation didn't quite sit right with the older woman. 

Regina glanced down at the blonde laying in her lap. Emma's head rested on her thighs, a hand curled under her head, gripping the fabric of the Queen's dress between slender fingers.  
She knew the blonde was exhausted, and would have preferred to allow the girl to stay right where she was, but there was much to discuss before their arrival. 

“Em-ma..." Regina leaned down, whispering softly into the girl's ear. “Wake up, Princess." She cooed, stroking her hand against the blonde locks. Despite her uneasiness, the older woman couldn't help but smile as she watched the girl scrunch her nose, eyes fluttering open and then quickly back closed. 

Emma turned her face, burrowing further against the older woman's thighs. “Tired," came the mumbled response. 

The brunette chuckled softly, sweeping hair out of the blonde's face while undoing the tight grasp of fingers around her thighs. “That may be so, my dear, but we've nearly arrived." She laced her finger's with the girl's, encouraging her to sit up.

Finally, Emma grunted, begrudgingly, she made it to an upright position, rubbing her face as her eyes slowly came into focus. Regina sat beside her, somehow appearing completely put together despite the long journey. Candle light illuminated the older woman's face, revealing a rather amused expression. 

“Let's get you somewhat presentable. Shall we?" The Queen mused, already coming her fingers through the girl's hair. “Turn around," she motioned with her hand. 

Still half asleep, Emma obeyed, turning to face the carriage window. “How long until we get there?" She asked thickly, as the brunette's fingers expertly worked thick locks into a braid. 

“About a candle mark, give or take. You can see her hovel from here."

The blonde used her index finger, sliding the curtain to the side, she peeked out the window. At first she was met with only the darkness of night, making out a few trees near the path. The carriage took a turn on the trail, bringing the foreboding structure into Emma's line of sight. The moonlight made it difficult to make out any details, but the blonde was able to gather the formation and size of the castle. True, it wasn't nearly as large as Regina's, or even as big as the Queen's lodge, but it was hardly a hovel. Emma smiled to herself, choosing not to comment on this fact. 

“How long have you been friends with Mal-" 

“We aren't friends, Emma." Regina cut the girl off, working the braid to the opposite side of the blonde's crown. “Maleficent is far from a friend, she may be offering her assistance right now, but don't let that fool you. It's not purely altruistic. In fact, we need to go over a few things before our arrival."

“Oh?" Emma turned her head back, furrowing her brow. 

“Yes," Regina's fingers grasped the girl's chin, turning her head back into place as she finished the braid. “I'm going to arrive ahead of you and the carriage, but first I want to make sure you understand a few very important points." The older woman paused, her hands smoothing over the girl's hair and resting firmly on Emma's shoulders. Gently, she turned the Princess until they were eye to eye, candle light flickering against each other's skin. 

“Can't I go with you?" 

“No, Emma. You're the very reason I'm going first." Regina paused, noticing the rejection creeping into questioning green eyes. “I want to ensure your safety, my Swan." She explained, cupping the girl's chin. 

“Regina, I could be more help to you there.” The Princess protested, furrowing her brow, determined to prove her worth.

“We must be cautious, Emma. I will feel better knowing that you are here, safe and sound." The older woman warned, taking the blonde's hands in her own. “While we're with Maleficent I need you to be on your best behavior and do exactly as I ask without questioning me." Regina paused, watching Emma's eyes grow dark. She knew her Swan would be upset, but she couldn't take any chances. 

“I'm telling you this because you need to understand."

“Understand what? My place?" Emma snapped, beginning to pull her hands back. But Regina was too quick, holding her hands firmly, eliciting a frustrated huff from the blonde.

“Yes." The Queen answered firmly, arching her brow as if to challenge the girl. “I would hate to be forced to discipline you in front our host."  
The older woman threatened.

“Should I call you, your Majesty?" Emma growled. Very much awake, now that her temper had risen, she successfully yanked her hands away. She felt her face flush; both furious and embarrassed at the thought. 

Regina remained silent, a pained expression on her face while Emma looked away, crossing her arms. Both women hating the hurt inflicted on the other, both stewed in their thoughts. Emma knew her words had stung, that was their very purpose. She told herself she had every right to be upset. It wasn't enough that she did answer to Regina, the imbalance of power was a constant companion. Still, the way the woman's eyes flickered and her face dropped at the suggestion made Emma question her outburst.

For the Queen, the matter was a bit more difficult. She hated hearing that title come from the blonde's lips. She hated hurting her Swan. And yet, Regina was equally troubled by her unhappiness and worry over the Princess. If she couldn't convince herself that she hadn't gone soft, how would she convince Maleficent? 

“No, Emma. I don't want you to call me....that." The brunette finally spoke, her voice soft, and far away. At the end, Regina's fondness won over, reluctantly she justified it by telling herself that she was simply playing carefully. She needed Emma to remain by her side. 

“I need you to understand that I can't have my.... my fondness for you seen as weakness." Regina explained, almost regretfully. 

“What do you mean?"

“I have a reputation, I'm sure I don't have to tell you this. I'm known to be... well, evil. And regardless of how accurate that is, it does come in handy at times. Maleficent has known me for a very long time, she knows that I don't tolerate insubordinate behavior.... If you give me no reason to correct you, everything will be fine, Emma. You asked me not to punish you in the company of others, I'm asking you not to do anything that would call for that action." Regina paused, hating the way her princess refused to look at her. But it was necessary. She couldn't afford to let Mal believe she had gone soft. 

“Did you punish your.... your pets in front of her?" Emma asked, slowly turning back to the older woman, her stomach flipping. Both curious and disgusted.

“Yes." The brunette answered honestly, but left out the fact that it had often been done out of sport. To be honest, she had done more than simply punish an insolent pet in front of Maleficent. The dragon had taught her more than magic during her loveless marriage to the king. And after that, once Regina was a free woman, the two women had taken part in quite a few debauched trysts, passing those weaker than themselves between one another.

“I meant what I said before, Emma. You're not a pet, but that doesn't change the fact that I won't allow disobedience. If I allow disrespect from you, then others will follow suit. Remember our discussion about marriage and obedience? About what was expected of me as the King's wife?" 

“Did... Did that happen to you?" The Princess asked, unable to stop herself even knowing better than to ask. The older woman always seemed to use riddles, or half truths to speak about her past, leaving much to be answered. 

For just a moment, absolute panic reflected through Regina's eyes. The amber orbs darted around the carriage before the woman regained a controlled facade. 

“I am trying to discuss something important, Emma. It would help if you could try and remain focused, unless you want your parents to hand you over to Blue." The Queen snapped, irritated and running short on patience. She didn't appreciate the girl's attempts at finding her weak spots. She had plenty of experience with people trying to exploit her weaknesses. Her pain was personal, her own cross to bare, and exposing it wasn't going to change the past or do her any good. 

Regina's eyes caught the blonde's, and she looked at the princess, really looked at her Swan. The girl's eyes dialated with anxiety and fear, and Regina felt her chest tighten at the thought of her own words. 

The brunette's face softened, "Emma..." She pleaded. “Emma, I'm sorry. I would never let that happen." She grabbed the girl's hand, pulling it against her chest. “To answer your question, no. Not in front of anyone, but I understood my place as Queen. Until I.... Well, while I was married I never undermined the King or went against him publically. Or privately for that matter." She added, hoping it would serve as a peace offering. 

“I am sorry for snapping at you. I just don't enjoy revisiting that chapter of my life, and this really is very important. I need to know that we're on the same page. I need to know that I can count on you, Emma." The older woman finished, raising her brows expectantly.

“Of course you can count on me, Regina." The blonde sighed, her frustration quickly replaced with morbid curiosity and anger. Anger at whatever it was that made Regina so guarded and untouchable. Anger at the injustice in a world where everyone was supposed to have a happy ending. 

“Good," the older woman cleared her throat, shaking away thoughts of the past. “I just need us to show a united front. Maleficent will look for any weakness to exploit and we can't afford that. If you disagree with something, I only ask that you wait until we are in private to discuss it." Regina paused, studying the girl for a moment before caressing her cheek. She felt Emma instinctively lean into her gentle touch. “You want to be my good girl, don't you, Em-ma?" She leaned closer, her voice rich and husky.

The blonde swallowed the lump in her throat. “Yes," she whispered, unable to deny the older woman anything in that moment. 

Emma thought perhaps she should be angry with the Queen, but she did so want to please the older woman. She desperately craved Regina's approval, somehow now more than ever. Despite all of her justified reasons to be upset, Emma just couldn't ignore the tight knots of guilt that rested low in her stomach. Knots that had started forming since meeting the imp. 

“I want to help, Regina." Emma said thoughtfully, not entirely referring to their time with the dragon. 

Regina's face softened, a wide smile covering her face. Perfect, white teeth shone under plump red lips. “I know you do. You are such a good girl, my Swan." She curled her fingers, softly stroking the girl's cheek with the back of her hand. “I'll see you when the carriage arrives." The older woman said after a moment. Taking Emma's chin she easily pulled the girl closer, pressing her lips to the blonde's.

“Regina?" Emma asked suddenly, breaking their kiss. “If it's not safe... What about you?"

“You're worried for me." The Queen said softly, almost to herself. With that one question she was reminded why she took such gentle care with the girl. She could use magic to hold Emma's heart in her hands and easily have a well behaved drone to do her bidding, but she would never truly have the blonde's heart. Never truly have her Swan. That one statement made all of her hard work and patience worth it. 

“Don't be worried," Regina smiled, feeling the girl grasp her hand.

“But...what if-"

“It's simply a precaution. I'm far more concerned about what trouble Maleficent may try to stir up once we arrive. As long as you do as I ask, we should be fine.” The older woman smiled, trying to prove to Emma that she need not worry. “If there is trouble, I'll be back here before that dragon can even blow a puff of smoke. And while I don't foresee that happening, I couldn't live with myself knowing I didn't do everything I could to protect you, my Swan." Regina finished, cupping the girl's cheek. 

“Promise me you'll be safe, Regina." Emma chewed her bottom lip, studying the brunette as she waited. 

“I promise." Regina smiled before a cloud of purple smoke surrounded her. And just like that Emma was alone with her thoughts.

 

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Regina didn't bother waiting outside the woman's gates, subtlety wasn't her game. And it wasn't Maleficent's either. Anyone using magic to transform themselves into a magical beast could hardly be considered subtle. Instead, the Queen appeared in the large hall of the woman's castle. There was barely any candle light to illuminate the cold castle, just a few dim flames dancing against shadows. The dragon was there, Regina was sure of it. And while she couldn't see Maleficent, she knew without a doubt that the woman could see her. 

The brunette smoothed her hands over her dress, walking towards the middle of the hall. “I never was much for hide and seek." She called out. 

“That's because your mother never allowed you any friends to play with." A raspy voice countered back. 

Regina smiled smugly, then turned around. “Yes, and where are all of your....friends?" The brunette raised her brow quizzically, placing her hands on her hips. 

The blonde hummed, something between a tsk and a cold little laugh. Suddenly the room was bright with candle light and Maleficent stood at the brunette's side. 

“Where's your.....Princess?" The dragon asked, running her hand through the Queen's hair. “Or did you miss me so much you wanted me all to yourself?"

Regina jerked away, grabbing the woman's hand and twisting roughly. “Touch me again, lizard, and I'll-"

“You'll what?" Maleficent laughed, enraging the brunette. “I thought you came here for my help?" 

“I came here because I thought it might interest you to be on the winning side for once!" Regina could feel her temper begin to slip away. Taking a breath, she released the woman's hand before starting again. “I suppose I was feeling charitable, but I'm starting to regret that decision." The woman stated coolly, regaining her composure. 

“Yes, well you know where being good gets you." Maleficent replied flippantly, rubbing her sore hand.

“Nowhere." Both woman said in unison, snickering. For the first time, Regina briefly acknowledged that she had missed the dragon. 

“All games a side...where is she?" Maleficent finally asked, their cool laughter dying down. “I'm curious to finally lay eyes on this Savior."

“I haven't seen you in years, I couldn't just trust your word." Regina crossed her arms, studying the blonde. 

Maleficent stared back, crossing her arms equally scrutinizing the brunette. 

“She's in the carriage." Regina finally offered, her posture relaxing slightly.

“Which is....where?"

“In a safe location."

“Oh, come off it, Regina. You don't really think I would team up with those heros and...." Maleficent stopped mid sentence, a smile creeping onto her face. 

“What?" The Queen snapped, scowling. 

“You're afraid." The blonde announced a bit too gleefully confidant.

“Excuse me?" Regina choked as if she had been slapped. 

“You're afraid of introducing me. What? You don't want to share your pretty little pet with me?"

“She's not a pet!" Regina snapped, defending the Princess and startling herself with the conviction in her voice. The brunette cleared her throat, troubled by her outburst and desperately hoping the other woman hadn’t caught it. 

“And if you have any lascivious plans concerning Emma, I assure you, there will be hell to pay. She’s mine, and I have no intention of sharing her.” The Queen finished, fastening a stony expression over her pretty face. 

“Touché. You always have been rather selfish." The dragon shrugged nonchalant. As Regina tried to recover, the blonde continued. “So, the Evil Queen's fallen in lo-"

“Don't be ridiculous." Regina cut the dragon off before she could finish, feeling her cheeks flush. “I simply wanted to ensure this....cave," Regina wrinkled her nose, gesturing to her surroundings. “Was suitable enough for human inhabitants." The Queen managed, opting to insult the woman. 

“I see..." The blonde raised her eyebrows. “And?"

“I suppose it will have to do."

“Hmmm.... yes, beggars can't be choosers. Or something like that." Maleficent chided, leaning casually against the mantle of her large fireplace. 

Regina rolled her eyes. “Do you want in on this victory, or not?"

“Well, that victory of yours remains to be seen. But, I'll admit, you always put on a good show. And I do like to be entertained."

 

_______________________________________________________

 

Emma fidgeted, waiting nervously in the carriage. She wondered how long a suitable amount of time was, it had seemed that hours had gone by as she stood still. The girl had been so busy, so caught up in her own thoughts and feelings of guilt over the imp, she hadn't bothered to ask about Maleficent. But now, it seemed the only thing Emma could focus on. Unanswered questions filled her head, one right after the other. If Regina wasn't friends with the woman, if she didn't trust her... What were they doing seeking her help? And what exactly was Regina's relationship with the dragon? 

Emma knew that Regina had dabbled in the dark arts with the other woman for a short time. She had told her this much. And it was no secret that both woman were outcasts, social pariahs at best. But still, there had to be more. Emma desperately wished she had asked these questions earlier that day.... Or yesterday. She wasn't quite sure of the time, or how long they had been traveling. 

As she waited, Emma began to turn Regina's cautions over in her head. In some ways, she thought perhaps it was worse not being the Queen's pet, as much as that title turned her stomach. At least then she could understand what was expected. Regina wanted her to understand her place, but Emma never seemed able to grasp just what that meant. She seemed always to be coming and going, with no real answers. A part of her still remaining rightfully angry at the older woman's threat. Would Regina really shame her that way? Would the older woman truly punish her in front of the dragon if she overstepped a muddled boundary? Regina seemed to think her reasons were perfectly just, comparing it to her marriage to the King. This only proved to surface more questions on the woman's mysterious past.

Emma sighed, looking back out the window for any sign of danger, or lack there of. The view was dark, and fruitless, save for a vague outline of the castle. 

“Waiting for your Queen, dearie?" A high pitched voice broke her thoughts, causing her to gasp as she snapped her head from the window.

“Why are you here?" Emma hissed in a low whisper. 

“I thought you may enjoy the company. What, with her Majesty leaving her helpless Swan behind."

“I am not helpless!" Emma defended. 

“No? Then why are you not at your Queen's side, ensuring her safety?" Rumple questioned, tilting his head to the side as he crossed his legs opposite the blonde. 

Emma gritted her teeth, her cheeks flushed. It was infuriating not to have a proper comeback. 

“Well, perhaps she just wanted some time alone with an old friend." The imp suggested, giggling maddeningly while drumming his fingers on the leather seat. 

“What do you mean?"

“Didn't your Queen tell you? She and Maleficent were once quite the pair."

“What does that mean?"

The imp giggled. “All in good time, dearie!" He replied in that sing song manner that had a way of utterly unnerving the girl. 

“I'm growing very bored by riddles. Why are you really here?" Emma demanded, a cold spike of jealousy stabbing her heart. 

“I simply wanted to check on my newest protégée." The man smiled revealing sharp grimy teeth. Half man, half beast, Emma thought. 

“I never agreed to that."

“So, you told the Queen about meeting me, hmm?" Rumple wiggled his eyebrows. 

Emma huffed, her brow creasing. “I.... No.... I mean..."

“Aha! Playing both sides, I see. You are a quick study!" 

“I am not!" Emma defended, through clenched teeth. “I doubt that we will even need your help." The girl turned away, looking out the window as she tried blocking out the man's insidious comments.  
“You really have no business here." Emma added dismissively.

“The proverbial ‘we’ may not need me. Then again, maybe so. But this I do know, dearie." The imp leaned forward, “You will need me, soon enough. Because I'm the only one that can give you what you're really looking for. When you grow tired of your unanswered questions, when you want to be more than the Queen's helpless Swan... Let me know." 

“What do you...." Emma shook her head, confused. “How am I supposed to let you know?" She blurted, instantly kicking herself for showing any interest in the man's offer. 

Rumple giggled, drumming his fingers together; his long nails clicking. “You know my name, don't you?"

Emma frowned. Could no one give a straight answer? “Rump-"

“Shhh..." The imp whispered, jumping up and putting a dingy finger to the girl's lips. “Call on me when you really want to start your education." He smiled, opening the carriage door and slipping into the darkness of the night.


	32. Part 32

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I should just have an apology on hand to copy and paste for each of my woefully late updates. If it's any consolation I hate not having the next chapter up in a timely fashion too! I went round and round with this one, but I sincerely hope it translates acceptably. 
> 
> I had hoped to get this up sooner, as always.... But Halloween was busy, then the election had me... well let's just say, I didn't feel very inspired. Not to write at least. Luckily, I was on vacation for a glorious week with my lady love, and that trip really pulled me from the depths of despair. Speaking of, I just wanted to thank all of you for your kind words, out pour of support, and general happiness over my own happiness! THANK YOU!!!! You all are always the very best! 
> 
> Also, I started a Tumblr that will eventually be mostly dedicated to my SQ stories, maybe some other writing too, but for now it will be all Swan Queen writing and just my going one in general. I'll try to keep it entertaining! Anyway, if you want to follow me my name's Morganza-Extravaganza. It's super lame right now and I don't have that much blogged, but I'll be adding things as I can.
> 
> As always, I hope you enjoy, and I can't wait to hear your thoughts! Much love to you all!!!

No sooner had the imp jumped from the cabin before the carriage jolted, pulling back onto the bumpy path and continuing down the winding road. Emma was pushed back by the force of the sudden movement, tucking her legs beneath her, she pressed her face against the window, every heartbeat bringing her closer to the dragon's castle. Licking her lips, she only now realized how nervous she was to meet the woman that Regina had warned her about. 

The meeting between the two women must have gone well, Emma assumed. Otherwise Regina would be back with her. Still, it was taxing her thoughts, being so left in the dark. The Queen had been so adamant about the lack of friendship between herself and the dragon. Yet, the way Rumplestilskin spoke, there seemed to be quite a different tale. Emma bit down on her bottom lip as jealous thoughts bombarded her mind. Dispersing them was fruitless; as soon as she was able to put one thought at bay, new worries made themselves known.

It really wasn't fair that Regina had left her behind, Emma thought. Regardless of the reason. Nor was it fair that the brunette wielded so much power over her. Respect was one thing, Emma would gladly give her that, and so much more. But this was different entirely. The Queen justified this with glimpses into the past; her time with the King, defending that she wasn't asking more, or even as much as had been expected of herself. Which only made the blonde wonder more and more about the older woman's own marriage. A topic that seemed only acceptable to speak on when Regina brought it up herself, and even then, it was a one sided conversation. Emma didn't see how that was fair either. She thought, perhaps if she could better understand, if she could see the whole picture and not just the small glimpses Regina allowed, perhaps then she could understand. 

And there was the matter of that awful little man. Emma knew she should tell the Queen, even in her displeasure over the woman's actions, she hated being dishonest with Regina. It knotted her stomach and made her increasingly anxious. 

‘I am not playing both sides.’ She told herself, indignant over the comment. Yet, she didn't feel entirely convinced. Had she confided with Regina the first time, this would have been easily taken care of… But she hadn't. She had kept her meeting with Rumple a secret on the off chance that he would be needed. As guilty as it made her feel, Emma still didn't know if she was ready to burn that bridge. 

‘Regina would keep her options open. It's better to be safe than sorry.’ Emma tried to justify.

Thankfully, the ride was short, or the blonde was too lost in her thoughts to notice the time. Before she knew it, the carriage, along with Regina's army, stood before imposing iron gates. Emma searched the darkness for any sign of her Queen, but it was too dark to make out anything but the structure in front of her. 

As the carriage pulled closer, large torches on either side of the path lit up. Their flames flicking against the black sky as they illuminated grey stone walls. Finally rolling to a stop at the front of the castle, Emma searched the imposing entrance for the older woman, but she was no where to be found. Instead, one of the Queen's anonymous masked guards reached for the carriage door, pulling it open with a click. 

Emma jumped, regardless of what Regina had told her, the Queen’s army made her uneasy at best. They rarely spoke, and tonight didn't seem to be any exception. The man simply held out a leather clad hand and stoically waited for her. Hesitant to accept the man’s assistance, Emma inhaled, steadying herself before finally placing her hand in his.

Maybe it was their silence, or lack of emotion that was so off putting. The blonde thought of her night on horse back in the woods surrounding Regina’s castle. She wondered if this man was one of the guards that had accompanied the Queen to retrieve her from the enchanted tree. She hoped not. But how could she tell them a part? He was just one faceless man of many. 

As Emma's feet hit the hard stone of the pathway she saw the Huntsman come around the side of the carriage. His expression wary as usual. She rolled her eyes. Where was Regina anyway? 

“Your Highness,” the man nodded mechanically. 

“Where's Regina?” Emma asked, irritated.

“If you would be so kind as to follow me, I would be happy to take you to her.”

“Do I have a choice?” The Princess crossed her arms. She supposed her anger was misdirected, but it infuriated her that this man knew more about the Queen’s whereabouts than herself. 

“The Queen has gifted you with much more choice than any of us.” The Huntsman spoke as if she was an ungrateful child. 

“Oh…” Emma blinked, not sure what to make of the statement. 

“Now,” the man sighed. “If it pleases you, I'll take you to the Queen. Or should I tell her Majesty that you prefer to wait outside?”

The girl stared at the scruffy man, noticing how tired he appeared. It was ridiculous not to follow him, and she was sure Regina would not be pleased if he came to her empty handed. Emma relaxed, letting her hands fall to her side.

“Lead the way.” She gestured towards the large wooden doors. 

The Huntsman turned on his heel, pushing the large doors open, he waited for the blonde to walk through before taking the lead once again.

“Have you been here before?” Emma caught up, tilting her head curiously. 

The man stared ahead, nodding curtly as they wound down the long hall, shadows bouncing off the walls.

“When?” The Princess asked, perhaps there were other ways to learn about the Queen, other than asking Regina.

The Huntsman turned his head, continuing to stalk down the hallway. He eyed the blonde skeptically, but finally answered.

“Many moons ago, Princess.” He stared down the corridor once again.

Emma frowned, falling quiet for a moment. She had hoped for more than simple one word answers, this was almost as useless as asking Regina herself. 

“Were they… were they friends?” She tried again.

“I trust her Majesty has given you the information you require for this meeting.”

“Fine.” Emma growled, becoming increasingly fed up. “I was just trying to make conversation anyway.” She lied.

“Does her Majesty tolerate these inquisitions of yours?” The man asked gruffly.

“Sometimes.” Emma shot back, her cheeks flushing.

To her surprise, the man chuckled. 

“I suppose she does.” He nodded.

“What's that supposed to mean?” 

For the first time, the man stopped in his tracks, turning to look at the girl, and then around the corridor. It was as if he wanted to make sure no one was eavesdropping. 

“You're changing her, Emma.” The Huntsman whispered conspiratorially.

“What? How? I'm not trying-“

“Shhh.” He cautioned, turning to look behind his shoulder, then back to the blonde. 

“She cares about you.”

“Yes…” She shifted, oddly uncomfortable with the statement. “I care about her too,” she added, slow with her words.”

“I see that.” The Huntsman’s grey eyes pierced through her.

“So….?” Emma didn't understand what was so monumental about the man’s statement. He acted as if he had divulged a secret of epic proportions.

“She's different around you. She's different with you…”

“What does that mean?” The blonde wrinkled her brow, confused.

The man stared at her a few moments, as if mulling things over.

“If I didn't know better, I might say-” And then he stopped, shaking his head.

“What?” Emma blurted, and for a split second her heart fluttered hopefully. For just a moment, she thought maybe, perhaps the Huntsman would tell her something she had been trying not to want. Something she had been trying not to need. 

“It's nothing, Princess.” He shook his head, turning back around.

“What were you going to say?” Emma demanded, louder than she had intended, hands rolled into fists at her side. She had just about enough of cryptic messages, and false promises. 

"Shhh! Quiet!” The Huntsman pleaded urgently. “ Are you trying to get me killed?”

Maybe it was the way his eyes narrowed in absolute fear, or how vulnerable the man looked, but Emma suddenly regretted her outburst.

“I'm sorry,” she whispered, looking down at her hands. “It's just that-”

"Not now,” the man shook his head. “Another time, Princess.” He straightened himself, turning back and beginning to walk as if nothing had happened. 

“Why not now? What could you possibly have to say, that can't be said now?” 

“It's not safe. And it's not important. Not at the moment at least.” The Huntsman glanced back. “We'll talk more. When it's safe.”

Emma opened her mouth to argue, but the distant sound of chatter bounced down the hall. 

“I promise.” The man whispered emphatically. 

Emma nodded, then followed behind. Walking down the long, dimly lit corridor of the castle, each step echoing off the dark stone floor. Her mind reeling from one extreme to the next. 

‘He wasn't going to say it.’ The girl told herself. She was being foolish. Surely it was something else. They both knew that Regina wouldn't love her. Still, there was a tiny corner of the girl's heart that insisted it was true. A small fluttering of hope. And this was perhaps the worst of all. 

As Emma drew closer to the massive arched door way at the end of the hall, the voices echoed louder down the chamber. She attempted to squash the taunting song of hope within her, knowing it would only make her hurt in the end. Besides, she told herself, she didn't love Regina either.

The blonde frowned, utterly unconvinced. She tried to distract herself from the incessant chattering in her head. Stepping lightly, Emma strained her ear, trying to make out the muffled words. Both voices unmistakably female, one of them foreign to her, while the other belonged to the brunette. Regina's rich laugh echoed down the hall. Emma tried harder, desperate to pick up specifics of the conversation, but it was no use. Wondering what had humored the Queen, Emma was reminded of the imp's words.

“Quite the pair.”

Regina certainly didn't sound troubled. And she certainly didn't love her, the blonde reminded herself.

With a pang of jealousy, Emma fought the urge to run past the man and burst into the room ahead. Silently, she forced herself to count the painfully slow steps as a distraction. Finally, the Huntsman reached the threshold of the brightly lit sitting room; blonde in tow.

“Your Majesty," the man announced their presence, ducking respectfully. It was almost surreal, the man’s reserved demeanor, making the Princess wonder if they had truly had any conversation at all.

Emma came up beside him, scanning the room. The hall was large, almost as large as The Queen's, and in a similar style. A large iron chandelier hung above the stone table where two women sat opposite one another. Emma's eyes found the brunette first, a sigh of relief escaping her pretty lips at the sight of her Queen. Despite the whirlwind of turmoil fighting inside her, resting her eyes on the brunette instantly settled her nerves.

“There you are," Regina beamed, turning her head towards the Princess. 

Emma stepped forward, then hesitated, intimidated by the presence of the older blonde. Maleficent was not as she had expected. Although, she wasn't sure what she had expected. Scales? Horns? 

Instead, she found the woman to be much prettier than she had anticipated. Tall, and slim, her pale blue eyes shining mischievously. Her hair long, and wild was pushed thoughtlessly away from her face. It was much lighter than Emma's own golden locks, and much more unkept. But, instead of looking shabby, Maleficent appeared more carelessly beautiful. Not as beautiful as Regina, but far prettier than Emma would have cared for her to be. The dragon leaned back in her seat, exuding a relaxed sort of confidence that was rather unnerving. 

But it was more than that. Emma swallowed, her mouth dry, a lump in her throat as she eyed the two women. Although still at odds, and not entirely pleased with her Queen, she still hated the thought of disappointing Regina. The brunette didn't love her, but Emma did know the woman cared for her, and right now that was enough. It had to be.

And Emma certainly didn't want to make a fool of herself. Had she been raised as a real princess, she would have known how to handle this situation. She would have been accustomed and trained in social etiquette. Emma thought back to the one ball she had attended; her 16th birthday. A night of utter unease, and anxiety. She wondered how she could ever be an equal to the women before her. Not only was Regina much more versed in magic than she, the woman truly was a Queen. Out of habit, Emma pulled her lip between her teeth, fingers fiddling at the fabric of her dress before silently scolding herself. 

“Come, Emma. Let me introduce you." Regina purred, stretching out her hand. The brunette's lips turned upward exposing perfect white teeth. A genuine smile that reached her eyes, making the amber orbs shine. 

That smile. The one that made Emma think she might do anything for. The way the Queen gazed at her sent her heart fluttering, erasing all of her insecurities, even if only for the moment. That smile made her think perhaps this was enough.

Maleficent watched with calculating curiosity as the younger blonde scurried to the Queen's outstretched hand. Both women lighting up in the presence of the other. The woman smirked, watching the girl's creamy white skin redden as Regina placed a small kiss at the corner of pretty pink lips. 

‘How chaste.’ Maleficent mused to herself. She had seen a plethora of emotions cross the brunette's face in the years she had known her, but this expression she had never seen before. 

“Well, if it isn't the girl of the hour," the dragon drawled, amused. She lifted the goblet in her hand giving a small nod.

Emma met the other woman's eyes, determined not to look away. She nodded curtly before taking a seat beside the brunette on the chaise. The way the older blonde's eyes squinted and twinkled mischievously, Emma couldn't help but wonder how genuine her statement was. 

“Don't mind her, Emma." Regina wrapped an arm around the girl's small waist, sensing her unease. She pulled the blonde onto the velvet settee, pleased to feel her Swan rest against her. Without thinking, the Queen used her free hand, lacing her fingers with the girl's.

“Maleficent doesn't receive many guests." She scowled at the dragon, silently pleading to any god that would listen to the prayers of an Evil Queen. She knew this was going to be trying, she expected Maleficent to search for any pressure points, any fractures. If for no other reason than because it entertained her. It's what she, herself would be doing if the roles were reversed. 

This was the very reason she needed Emma's absolute obedience, she didn't want to give the dragon any ammunition, anything in which the woman could use to exploit the situation. And as good as her Swan was, without the use of magic, people were unpredictable. The brunette did not look forward to being forced with the decision of disciplining the young blonde. Not here in front of the dragon; not as she had done with those before Emma. Not for the first time since meeting the girl, Regina was afraid of herself. Afraid of what she was capable of. And that fear alone was troubling. 

“Yes, because your social calendar has just been overflowing." Maleficent deadpanned, rolling her eyes, then tilting her head curiously.

“Well, I suppose it has," she admitted, smirking as her tongue darted out; snaking along her lips slowly. “I have to admit, I never would have expected to have the pleasure of entertaining both the Evil Queen and the Savior at the same time! How did you ever manage pulling this lovely little princess into your clutches?"

Emma's nostrils flared along with her temper. And before she could think better of it she was speaking.

“All due respect, but for your information, I wasn't pulled into anyone's clutches. I came to her." The girl corrected. Irritated that the older woman spoke about her as if she wasn't present.

“And my name is Emma. If that's too informal for you, your Highness will suffice." It only took a heartbeat after her words were said and done for Emma to worry over them. Regina had warned her about behaving, and only moments into meeting the dragon she had already let her temper get the better of her.

Maleficent's brow shot up in surprise, turning from Regina to stare at the young blonde.

Emma's heart beat against her chest. Everything had transpired so fast, and she really hadn't meant to appear disrespectful. Just as she began to wonder if the Queen would reprimand her, Regina squeezed her hand, reassuringly rubbing her thumb in a gentle circle. 

“Well, I suppose she told you." The brunette snickered. Pleased with her Swan, Regina glanced over at the girl, giving her a sideways smile, thick red lips curling up in amusement. How much her girl was blossoming. 

Emma didn't understand exactly what was happening or rather why it was happening. She had assumed her hot headed behavior was exactly what she had been warned against, but she knew the older woman enough to see when she was pleased. And for some reason that was beyond Emma, the Queen was very much pleased.

Maleficent ran her tongue along her teeth, a smile at the corner of her own pale lips.

‘Good.’ She thought to herself. ‘The Princess knows how to play the game.’

“It seems you've taught her well, Your Majesty.." The woman watched curiously as an unmistakable glow of pride washed over the Queen’s face. 

“I certainly don't know what you mean.” Regina feigned innocence, unsuccessfully attempting to hide a smirk while patting the girl's thigh affectionately. 

“I doubt Emma enjoys asinine assumptions any more than either of us do.” The brunette added.

“I suppose that's fair,”Maleficent snickered, then snapped her fingers, beckoning a servant.

“I insist you have a drink, Emma. Any woman that puts me in my place in my own castle and lives to tell the tale deserves a drink." She laughed. 

Emma smiled, feeling relieved and more than a little proud of herself. As the servant handed her a goblet she let herself relax. Perhaps there was hope after all, she thought. Perhaps, she might possibly deserve to be in the presence of these women.

“So, then.... " The dragon leaned forward in her seat. “Tell me. What in this world possessed you to run away to the Evil Queen?"

Emma glanced at Regina, unsure what she was supposed to say. But the older woman simply nodded, silently encouraging that she tell her story. 

Taking a deep breath, and then a drink from her own glass, Emma began. At first she was timid, searching for the right words, but as she spoke, the truth easily poured out of her. Anything was better than being left to silently stew in her thoughts.

Emma explained her upbringing, constantly moving in hopes of eluding Regina. She spoke about her magic and the disastrous attempt to remove it, her decision to seek out her fate, and Regina's hospitality. Emma told the older blonde everything. Well, almost everything. She left out some of the more intimate details of her relationship with the Queen, as well as the more confusing aspects. 

“I see..." Maleficent replied thoughtfully once the girl had finished, resting her head against her hand.

“And now... Now you think that your parents are plotting with Blue for your return?" The older blonde asked.

“We know they're planning to get me back and...and possibly-"

“It's alright, dear." Regina soothed, running her hands through the girl's hair gently. 

“They'll have to capture me first, and that won't happen." The brunette tried to reassure, giving her Swan the most confidant smile she could muster. 

Emma inhaled, smiling tightly. She wanted to believe that was true. She had to. 

“You have magic, Emma?” Maleficent interrupted.

“Y-yes..." The blonde replied cautiously.

“And how versed are you at wielding it?"

“She's still learning." Regina answered for her girl. “But she's quite good, and a quick learner."

Maleficent smiled to herself.

“I bet she is." The older blonde drawled, raising her eyebrows suggestively at the Queen. 

Regina gave the woman a stone faced glance, utterly unamused. She wanted to tell the dragon to shut up, to wipe the cocky smirk off her face. She didn't need Maleficent filling Emma's head with stories of their sordid past.

Maleficent cleared her throat, then brought her hand to her face, opening her palm. She turned towards the large fire in the hearth and blew softly. With a sizzle the fire extinguished. Completely snuffed out, not even a burning ember remained, leaving the women mostly in the dark save for the flicker of candlelight.

“Light it, Emma. Let me see what you can do." 

Regina rolled her eyes, remembering how she had once heard the same request from the dragon. But, her Swan could do this, and if they wanted the woman's help, they would have to oblige. She was sure Maleficent hadn't changed that much over the years. Squeezing Emma's leg, she leaned into the girl, whispering in her ear.

“Go on, dear. You can do it."

With the Queen's permission, Emma inhaled, closing her eyes to focus. She thought about what was at stake, her parents, Blue....even the brunette beside her. Emma was surprised by how easy it was to find this time; that darkness inside of her, just below the surface. A small fluttering starting low in her abdomen. Quickly the fluttering grew, a rolling growl that moved to her chest, and then spread throughout her body. Each nerve twitching beneath flesh as her magic came alive.

Emma opened her eyes, unclenching her closed fist. The girl frowned, there was nothing. Darkness still filling the room. Feeling Regina stir beside her, the girl looked down at her outstretched hand. And suddenly, without warning there it was. Wild and unharnessed, the room lit up; bright and blinding as the flames roared from her hand to the hearth. The wood crackled as the flames danced wildly, consuming every inch of the logs.

Regina took the girl's hands in her own, squeezing tightly. She couldn't have been more proud of the blonde. All of her past suffering, her patience and hard work were finally paying off. 

“That was excellent, my Swan." The older woman praised, almost giddy. Pride causing her to momentarily forget the dragon's presence. 

“Not bad." Maleficent agreed, choosing not to mention Regina's pet name for the girl. Not now at least. 

“I told you she was a fast learner. She's only barely learned to produce a fireball, and we've really only practiced once." Regina bragged as if she was a proud mother discussing her child's first steps. 

Emma blushed, looking down at her hands as the woman tucked golden hair behind her ear. She couldn't help but bask in the light of the Queen’s blatant pride. It felt as if the heavens themselves had opened up to shine down upon her, and Emma suddenly felt very silly to have doubted the older woman. 

“Impressive." Maleficent admitted, far more interested in the interactions between the blonde and the brunette.

“Does that mean you'll help us?" Emma asked, turning towards Maleficent expectantly.

"Well, I have to say I sympathize with your plight Emma. I really do. And I’m sure you will one day be a great sorceress, especially with the Queen’s training. But-“

“She wants to know what's in it for her, Emma.” Regina explained dryly.

“Her Majesty does know me well.” The dragon smirked, making the statement seem as if it had a double meaning. 

“Oh..” The princess mumbled, her brow wrinkling with worry. Emma hadn't thought that they would have to repay the dragon somehow. 

“What do you want?” Emma finally asked.

“She'll have safe passage through our kingdom, the use of our army if ever needed, and enough gold to move her out of this hovel.” Regina replied confidently.

Maleficent laughed, the sound ringing off the walls. 

“Save it, your Majesty. I'm not interested.”

“Excuse me. I forgot how you enjoyed living in squalor.” The brunette insulted, gesturing around the room with her hand.

“Well then, what do you want, dragon?” Regina pursed her lips, impatient.

“Perhaps we should discuss this later.” Maleficent raised her brows, clearly speaking only to the Queen.

“There are certain things I'm not willing to give.” Regina said slowly, enunciating each syllable through gritted teeth. 

Emma squirmed, uncomfortable with the transparently secret exchange between the women. She didn't like being left out of the conversation, and she certainly didn't enjoy the feeling that there was much more being discussed than what was said. 

“I am very much aware of that.” Maleficent said, looking at the girl as she spoke. She held her gaze for a few uncomfortable heartbeats, then turned back to the Queen. 

“I just want to ensure that I have a favor from you… should I need it. That's all,” Maleficent shrugged, acting purely innocent. 

“I do a favor for you, you do one for me. It's only fair.” 

Emma didn't understand the way the Maleficent had prefaced her request. That did seem fair enough. But why all the fanfare? Why did it seem as if the woman was asking for more? 

“I'll agree to that,” Regina said cautiously. “But… only after we come to an agreement of what is not a negotiable… favor.” 

“I'm sure we can come to an agreement.” Maleficent smiled, her eyes sparkling mischievously. The woman turned to the girl, squinting her eyes as she sized her up. 

“I take it that Regina has told you what's required for your plan. Yes?"

Emma pursed her lips, not sure where this conversation was going. She still wasn't sure where the last one had been going.

“Yes...I know..."

“Well then, my question for you is.... Do you really think you'll be able to do what's necessary? You're talking a decent game, but you may find the reality to be rather…. Unpleasant.”

“-I can do it."

“-Of course she can."

Emma and Regina spoke in unison, both women appearing none too pleased by the question. 

Maleficent raised her brows, somehow managing to look both skeptical and amused all at once. 

“Very well, then. Let the games begin." The dragon mused, tossing back the remainder of her port. 

____________________________

 

Maybe it was the consumption of port, or the exorbitant use of magic. Perhaps it was the long days of traveling, and the constant spiraling of emotions. More likely, it was a combination of all these factors catching up with her, but for whatever reason, Emma found herself considerably exhausted. By the time she and Regina reached their shared suite, the blonde felt as if her eyelids were made of lead. Blinking slowly, she made her way towards the large four poster bed in the middle of the sizable room. 

“Whatever are you doing?” Regina asked, affectionately amused as she watched the girl haphazardly crawl over the thick blankets, gown and boots still clothing her. The brunette shut the door, taking care to secure it. Emma had held out well in front of the dragon, but now, in the safety of their privacy, the princess looked every bit a sleepy little girl. 

“Getting into bed,” Emma mumbled, unable to finish her sentence without yawning. 

“I see that.” The Queen smiled softly, walking over to the blonde. “Don't you think you may want to change first? Or at least take off your shoes? If I wanted to sleep on a bed of gravel I would have saved Maleficent the time of preparing us a room.” 

“Sorry,” Emma mustered enough energy to shrug sheepishly, turning around and pulling her boots off. Unceremoniously she let them thud to the ground, falling on their sides next to the bed. 

“Here,” Regina grasped the girl's hand, pulling her from the bed onto her feet. Her Swan had done so well during the evening, and the older woman really couldn't have been happier with Emma's behavior. 

The brunette let her hands trail softly against the girl's curves, resting on her hips as she turned the girl around; facing away from her. 

“I really am so proud of you, Em-ma.” She praised softly while working the buttons on the back of the blonde’s dress. 

"Because of my magic?” Emma found enough energy to ask, always eager to know how she had pleased her Queen. 

“You were amazing, yes. We need to practice more, but your talent always surprises me.” Regina took the fabric of the dress, grasping the hem and gently pulling the garment up the girl's body. 

Emma raised her arms as the older woman pulled the dress over her head, leaving her in only the cream colored silk slip. The cool air swept over her exposed flesh, making her shiver and leaving a trail of goosebumps. Instinctively, she spun around, leaning into the sanctuary of Regina's warm embrace. It was easy and natural, and it felt like home. A quiet sense of rest and belonging falling over her and erasing all of the unease from the past days.

“Oh, my tired girl.” Regina cooed against thick golden hair before placing a warm kiss on the blonde's temple. 

Emma nodded her head, burrowing against the older woman's shoulder. 

Regina rubbed her hands over the girl's arms and shoulders, trying to ease off the cold of the crisp night air. Removing one hand she flicked her wrist, magically pulling the sheets of the bed down. 

“Let's get you into bed, shall we?” The Queen asked, although it wasn't a question. Gingerly, she guided Emma to the side of the bed, easing her down and beneath the covers. 

“You know, Emma, your magic isn't what made me proud of you.” Regina sat next to the girl at the edge of the bed, running her fingers through the loose strands of blonde hair.

“It wasn't?” Emma wrinkled her brow, confused. 

“No,” the woman smiled softly. “I'm proud of you because you didn't let that wretched woman walk all over you. You put her in her place.”

“Oh…” the princess shifted, sitting up against the soft pillows. “I was worried you would be upset at first, I hadn't really meant-”

“Didn't I tell you that this world would kneel to you, Em-ma?” The Queen interrupted, cupping the girl's face between her hands, her thumbs rubbing soft circles against her cheeks. 

“This world belongs to us, my Swan. If someone doesn't respect you, you make them respect you. And if they don't bend to your will, you break them.” Regina paused, amber eyes burning brightly. 

“Do you understand?” She arched her perfect brow. 

Emma's lips had parted during the woman's passionate speech; utterly captivated by the Queen’s power. Inhaling, she nodded her head emphatically. 

"Good girl.” The Queen praised, leaning down to press her plump lips against the blonde's. Smiling when the princess let out a content little moan. 

“Regina?” Emma asked urgently, breaking the kiss. “You really think I can do it?”

“Do what, dear?”

The girl bit her lip, looking away for a moment. 

“Do you think I'll be able to collect the ingredients? I don't think Maleficent thinks-“

“It doesn't matter what Maleficent thinks, Emma. And it doesn't even matter what I think.” Regina explained, pulling the thick down comforter under the blonde's chin. 

“It only matters what you think. The first rule of any magic is to believe in yourself.”

“But… You believe in me, right?” Emma asked, wiggling under the covers. She needed to hear Regina say it, she needed to know she would be able to go through with what needed to be done. 

“We wouldn't be here if I didn't believe in you, my Swan. I think some of the ingredients are less pleasant to collect than others, and it may be hard to reconcile some of the actions that must be taken. But I know you can do it, Emma. I believe in you. And I'll be there to help you, you won't be alone.” 

Regina smoothed her hands over the blankets covering the tired girl. She did believe in the princess and unlike herself, Emma would not be doing this alone. Regina would make sure of that. 

Emma yawned, her exhaustion returning now that she was able to relax again, knowing that she had the Queen’s faith. Closing her eyes, and enjoying the quiet contentment Regina's presence brought, she thought suddenly of the strange conversation with the Huntsman. This was good, in this moment it was enough.

“I care about you, Regina.” Emma mumbled thickly, eyes still closed, a soft smile on her pretty lips. 

The older woman inhaled, a lump in her suddenly dry throat, her chest tightening. Regina's forehead creased, wondering what the hell was wrong with her. Taking another deep breath and exhaling slowly, she was able to disperse the odd affliction. 

“I care about you too, Emma.” Regina choked out, her voice strained. 

‘I care about you more than I should.’ The Queen worried to herself, stroking the blonde's hair as the girl fell into a deep slumber. 

‘Much more than I should.’


End file.
